


Yours by Law

by TheRomanticQuill



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-08
Updated: 2016-08-06
Packaged: 2018-07-22 09:36:18
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 23,491
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7430349
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheRomanticQuill/pseuds/TheRomanticQuill
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the second wizarding war (alternate result) the Ministry of Magic decides to rebuild the damaged magical society. They issue a Marriage Law, a forced marriage when couples are chosen randomly at the Ministry. Hogwarts 7th year student, Britt Aiken, is paired with Severus Snape, her teacher. Neither of them are happy about this pairing but they are unable do anything about it. Britt continues her life as a student and as the wife of the unpopular teacher. Everything changes when a couple of teacher's assistants arrive at Hogwarts. The situation is even more complicated for everyone - Britt, Snape and the rest involved.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. On a Stormy Night

I’m standing in his chambers.

A person I was forced to marry because of the new Ministry Law. He’s my Potions teacher, Severus Snape. And now we have to consummate the marriage. The Marriage Law, hated all across the country, was established after the war. Many wizards and witches died fighting and the magical society needed to be rebuilt. Therefore the Ministry issued the new Law. They put names in a magical cup and each day five pairs were randomly chosen. I got the letter the other day. Nothing specific yet, I was just summoned to the Ministry’s Department of Marriage Law Control. When I got there, my heart jumping madly, my throat constricted, I was prepared for this to be bad. However, I was definitely not prepared to be meeting one of my biggest enemies – my Potions teacher. When our eyes met for the first time, I gave out a faint whisper of "no". I was standing there, shaking my head without knowing it. Then the Ministry committee for Marriage Law spoke. I didn’t hear them, their voices were just a distant echo. Then I fell apart. I was crying, yelling, lying on the floor, prepared to die. They called a medi-witch. Muggles would call her a psychologist. She helped me to stand up, she was talking to me, wrapped me in a blanket although the room was quite warm. I wasn’t listening to her. I wasn’t listening to the committee and I barely noticed that Snape was having a discussion with those members. He was talking about me, still being a student and they were confirming that "The goblet has chosen and there was no way of getting out of this marriage". Then… we were magically bonded as husband and wife. I was allowed to keep my maiden name. They were talking to us about the marriage and its consummation but I wasn't listening and definitely not thinking about its meaning.

Then my parents were called. I was an adult, both for magical and muggle society, but still they needed to discuss things with them. It was the last day of the summer holidays and the next day I was supposed to go back to Hogwarts.

 

And now here I am. We used Apparition for travelling and for a brief moment I was thinking about escaping, going to a different place. Snape must have sensed it because he insisted on using assisted Apparition so that I couldn’t end up in a different country, leaving him and this stupid, hated marriage. We arrived after the Hogwarts Express did. The castle was silent, there was the Sorting ceremony happening in the Great Hall right in this precise moment. I followed Snape to the dungeon and into his chambers. He poured himself some Firewhisky and I felt a sudden urge to grasp the bottle and drink the whole content myself. He didn’t offer a single shot to me.

Now I'm just standing here, wishing for this to be over. No, not just over. I desperately want him to tell me to go away, to dismiss me from his chambers. I knew this dreaded moment would come. I’d have given anything for it not to happen.

"Get undressed," Snape orders. I’m standing in the corner, shivering. Maybe I can still talk my way out of this?

"Sir, please…," I start, "please, don’t do that. I won’t tell anyone that we… we didn’t…"

The reason I'm so scared is because I'm still a virgin. Also, after seven years of Snape’s constant remarks upon me I truly hate him. He's intimidating and I fear him.

"The Ministry has its ways of finding out whether or not the marriage has been consummated." Snape says simply. He takes a few steps towards me and I retreat even more, feeling the stone wall make contact with my back.

"I don’t want to," I sob. Tears are pricking in my eyes. Shit. "I don’t want to sleep with you.“

He is measuring me with his black eyes.

"There’s no point discussing it, girl. Believe me, I’m not particularly enjoying this myself."

Which was not true. Yes, he disliked this smart Ravenclaw seventh-year student, but he liked her innocence and vulnerability and he couldn’t wait to do miracles with her body. He desperately wanted to take her virginity despite his moral brake and antipathy he felt towards her. He was sure she’s never had sex before. What kind of man wouldn't want to be the first?

"Your clothes," he says simply, gesturing for me to remove my clothes. When I don’t proceed to do so, he takes a few fast steps towards me and without hesitation he pulls my hands up above my head and quickly removes my dress himself.

"No! Don’t!" I say, alarmed, covering my bare breasts immediately.

"Don’t. Be. Silly," he says strictly.

"I’ll never surrender! You’ll have to kill me!"“ I hiss, frowning.

"There will be no need to. I’ll have you in a moment. And you’ll do nothing about it except for enjoy it." he says self-confidently.

"I… I’ll report you then. It’s rape! Technically, it is!" I fight. He’s standing very close now, towering above me. Bravely I try to look into his eyes, ready to see hatred, but no such thing reflects there. This is confusing.

"Not even technically. You’re my wife," he says calmly. I thought he would be arguing with me but he does nothing of that sort. Instead, he offers me his hand. I look at it, then at him. I will not surrender easily. Piercing him with my eyes I walk past him and throw myself on his bed, flat on my stomach, in a gesture that says "do whatever you like, but you will only be taking my body and not my personality".

Slowly he walks over to the bed, sitting down.

"I want to do it the pleasurable way," he says calmly.

I laugh hysterically.

"And that's supposed to make me feel at ease? Calm me?"

"I'm not a monster, Britt. I don’t see pleasure in ravishing women," Severus says and I can feel his fingers resting on my shoulder-blade gently. I shiver. My Potions teacher is touching my naked body. This is so, so surreal!

But it is also something else. It’s not unpleasant. His fingers are slowly tracing my spine in a soft caress. He doesn’t skip a single part of my back, striking my neck, shoulders, continuing to my arms. It tickles and I realise my body reacts with goose pimples. He’s taking his time. Maybe he really wants to make it pleasurable? I find it hard to believe. He has always been unpleasant, sarcastic… Yet, there is something soft about his actions. As if he was trying to give me a „don’t be afraid“ signal. But I’m not buying it. I am afraid, very much afraid.

"Roll over," he says almost in a whisper. I don’t listen to him. I don’t like the idea of showing my breasts to him. He’s my teacher for goodness‘ sake! He can’t look at me intimately!

But he’s also my husband.

"Please," he says and I can’t believe it. Did he just say 'Please'?

"I know what you’re trying to do!" I hiss poisonously. "Play it nice so that I trust you! But I don’t buy that!"

"Enough!" he says sternly and with an easy but firm motion he rolls me over to my back. I squeak with surprise.

Snape’s eyes are upon mine and his fingers rest on my jawline, caressing, going down to my collarbone.

"Don’t...," I manage to whisper but he ignores me. His fingers move to my breasts slowly. His palms are warm and soft and he cups my breasts. He stays like that for a second or two and then he circles my areolas with his fingers very gently. He never touches my nipples which are somehow tense. I keep my eyes closed, I don’t want to watch him doing all these things. His warm hand moves to the valley between my breasts, going down slowly, caressing my belly. Was it not for him, my enemy doing this, it would feel so relaxing! Is this what men usually do to women or is he just trying to harvest his rightful fruit?

"You’re young," he says simply.

"Yeah. Not for a long time!" I bite back.

"Britt, I…," he starts but leaves his sentence unfinished. Instead, his soft fingers move from my belly to my lower belly. I am wearing my panties and I cannot imagine not having them in my teacher’s presence.

_Husband._

Snape skips my womanly parts and reaches for my thighs. He keeps fondling them. Is he making fun of me or is it possible that he spoke the truth? That he wanted to do it the pleasant way? And then his fingers touch my crotch. I cross my legs immediately in a defense.

"Don’t," Severus says, "I know you hate me and I hardly have any feelings for you too, but this doesn’t help. It must be done and it must be done today."

With a frown I undo this protective gesture. Snape’s hand is back where it was – on the front of my panties. I am frowning, my eyelids pressed tightly.

_I’m with somebody else. George Clooney. Daniel Craig maybe._

It doesn’t help much. Severus moves his fingers, softly caressing my pubic area covered by silk fabric. He doesn’t rush. Up, down, he does that slowly and I realize I’m not frowning any more. I don’t want to admit it but… it is pleasant. And suddenly I feel a strange, tingling feeling in my lower belly.

Shit! Stop…

Do I mean _him_ doing what he’s doing or do I mean _myself_ , thinking of this as of a pleasant thing? I actually don’t know.

Slowly up, slowly down, Snape’s hand is teasing me through my panties. He keeps going on and on, not rushing, just brushing his fingertips over my pubic area. I let out a sigh which I didn’t mean to. It was just there, it escaped my mouth out of nothing. And to my horror, something else is happening. My womanhood feels moist. Does he know? Oh my goodness, this is so embarrassing! Severus continues as if he never wanted to end this foreplay. OK, maybe he really wants me to feel less pain. Maybe he wants me to enjoy this first part, before he proceeds to…

Suddenly, without warning, Snape’s removing my panties, rolling them carefully over my thighs, knees, calves and feet. Now I am completely naked and exposed to my Potions teacher. He tosses my knickers on the floor and his hand is back on my crotch. Slowly, his fingers continue caressing my womanhood for what feels like several minutes. Then he spreads my legs a bit and one of his fingers carefully slips between my folds. He feels my dampness and I am embarrassed. Snape’s index finger is probing my folds slowly and gently for another long minutes. Just like that. Up and down, exploring the dampness which I am so ashamed of!

I remember my best friend giving me some advice about the first time I experience intercourse. „Let him finger you with two or three fingers before you proceed to his dick. Even four, if he should be of a bigger size. It won’t be such a shock and it will be less painful. Also, try to be on top as you can control the depth of the penetration if it hurts too much.“

But this was not an option here. He barely talked and I could not ask him to do such things. This applied for a man I would love, my boyfriend. Not a Ministry-selected man and my teacher, an authority.

Snape’s fingers spread my labia a bit more, he is playing me as if I was an instrument. And then he touches a certain spot with his thumb and I shiver and another moan escapes my lips. Snape’s thumb is upon my clitoris, rubbing it very gently from side to side, then circling it, holding my folds open with his other hand. And then his index finger slips down and probes my vagina entrance very slowly.

Shit! It is uncomfortable but he eases the alien feeling with more play on my clit. He pushes his finger a bit further, up to his second phalanx. He turns it upwards and starts to rub a point I never knew existed. He applies pressure; it is not the same, soft teasing he is using on my clitoris. This is rough rubbing, almost chafing, but it is somehow the exact thing which is supposed to be done down there, I can feel it. Severus slowly adds another finger to my narrow, damp and throbbing hole. I already feel stretched and he is not really pushing far, rather he is focusing on that sweet spot. I clench my fists, this is beyond anything I expected. When Snape adds his third finger, I hiss with both pain and pleasure.

"Easy…," he whispers to me.

Suddenly it strikes me again. A man I don’t love, my teacher, is invading my body without my consent. It is very pleasurable, but I want to stop it. I can never belong to this man!

"Stop it!" I cry out. "Don’t!"

"You’re doing fine," he says with his silky voice.

"No! Leave me alone! Please…," I beg, torn between hate towards him, towards the Ministry system and the intense pleasure the man I hated has been causing me to feel.

"Hold on, it’ll be over soon," Severus leans to me and whispers to my ear. I feel his lips brushing against my earlobe. Shit, it only intensified the pleasure. I feel disgraced. This man is doing exactly what he wants with my body and I can’t stop him. Snape keeps rubbing the sweet spot and flicking his thumb over my clit very gently again. And then a pleasure wave like nothing I have ever experienced before is starting to build somewhere down my centre.

"Aaah!" I let out a moan and I hate myself for it. Severus mutters some incantation and suddenly he is naked. My eyesight is blurred and my pupils are rolling upwards. I do not have time to look at him which I normally would as I only saw naked men in encyclopedias.

With his left hand Snape spreads my legs wide. _Here it comes_ , a thought forms somewhere at the back of my brain.

"Tough it out, Britt," Severus whispers and suddenly something warm and big presses against my vagina entrance. Snape wants to ease the pain I am about to feel any moment now and he never stops massaging my clitoris. With a slow push, he eases himself inside me, inch by inch.

I cry out. Sharp pain overtakes my womanhood. I think I'm being ripped, he can never fit! He must be very large. Or is this normal?

"No, stop!" I exhale and try to wriggle out, but his body is heavily on top of me. „Please, stop! Please!“

"Don't resist...please." Snape whispers, his mouth is back at my earlobe. He keeps rubbing my clit and the pleasure wave that was building inside of me before finally takes over me. And in that very same moment Severus pushes and fills me completely.

I hear someone yelling. Is it me?

Snape is inside me and he is letting me accommodate his size. Then, slowly, he starts to move inside, first just with short thrusts, then trying longer ones, withdrawing almost completely out of me and pushing back instantly.

"It hurts," I moan. The pain is considerable and although my clit is receiving a full attention and I shake with aftershocks of my release, I feel it’s too painful for me to handle any longer.

"I know," he whispers. I am tight and it doesn’t take much longer till he comes with a soft moan escaping his lips. He withdraws immediately. By that time hot tears are streaming my face and I hate myself for collapsing such easily under his touches, hate him for doing this to me, hate the Ministry for their stupid, stupid Marriage Law and hate the world for being such a weird place.


	2. A Little Bit Different Life in the Castle

The morning was chilly.

I woke up to find myself lying in an unfamiliar bed. As a lightning it struck me immediately. I jumped to a sitting position and looked around the room. Snape was sitting by the window, watching me. I drew the blanket closer as I was still wearing nothing.

„A few words before you go,“ he said, his tone back to his cold standard, „there are rules I want you to obey. First of all, as you are still a student, there is no changing to first name terms. To me you are still Miss Aiken and only in private I may call you differently. That doesn’t apply to you. You could easily mistake it one day so to you I am still your Professor to prevent such situation.“

_Fine, I didn’t have problem with that!_

„Nothing changes in our teacher-student relationship till you graduate. No privileges in lessons, no special treatment.“

 _The less attention the better_ , I thought.

„You will continue living in your dormitory. I may summon you here to my chambers and you are allowed to visit, however your permanent place is still in the dormitory of your house.“

That was good, it seemed we wouldn’t be meeting much. Certainly none of us desired to do the opposite.

„As the Marriage Law and things around it are public and announcements have been made in the Daily Prophet, the school most likely knows who you are, by now. Several students of age have been involved in the marriage program and are married too, so you are no exception,“ Snape continued.

 _Might be_ , I thought, but I was almost certain there was no match and marriage _that_ unfortunate.

I was afraid to join people in the castle, more than sure they would stare, whisper and mock.

„I believe I told you everything,“ he said.

Actually, he didn’t. There was one thing he did not mention and I was happy about it – our intimate life. Well, the better. The marriage was consummated and there was no reason to ever repeat our last night’s activity. We’ll probably never see each other the way we did those couple of hours ago. The marriage was only a formal thing and now I could go back to my student life almost unchanged. The day suddenly seemed more bearable.

„You shouldn’t miss the breakfast and distribution of timetables,“ Snape said and I had almost got up from the bed before I realised I didn’t have my clothes on. I blushed

„Would you mind…,“ I muttered and gestured him to turn and not watch. It was silly, considering what had happened between us, but for me it felt right. And my husband, however my request might have amused him, slowly got up from his chair and turned to face the window.

I left the bed and noticed slight pain and discomfort between my legs. Quickly I dressed, trying to ignore it.

„Now, drink this,“ he said, turning back to me. He opened his palm to reveal a tiny vial with pink-and-blue liquid. I knew what this was, we talked about it at the Ministry. I was supposed to finish my studies before I –we- had children. I took the vial, uncorked it and sipped the potion. It didn’t do anything recognisable. I walked back to the bed where my handbag laid and I took my comb and brushed my hair briefly. The unfamiliar feeling between my legs was still there and I was wondering whether it was normal or whether it had something to do with his size. I blushed. However I disliked what happened between me and the Potions Master, I had to admit he really tried to make it bearable. Not just bearable, apart from the pain it was pleasant as much as such involuntary lovemaking could be. _Should I thank him?_ I was ready to leave now and I didn’t know what to say. I went past him and stopped at the door with my hand on the door handle.

„T-thank you,“ I said quickly and maybe too quietly. Not waiting for his reply I slipped out of his chambers into the coldness of the dungeon.

 

I saw my three best friends in the Great Hall, having breakfast.

„Britt! Here you are!“ Katie Nolan called merrily and went to hug me.

„Good to see you all,“ I told them with a smile. It was great to meet my friends again.

„And you! Where were you? We thought…,“ Alistair Poole started but Katie and my other friend, Becca Chesterfield, both gave him a warning look. Alistair’s gift was that he was sometimes intact and too fast in his spoken thoughts. They obviously knew where I spent my night and why I was not on the Hogwarts Express yesterday.

„Look, our timetables!“ Katie called maybe too theatrically to banish that embarrassing moment Alistair almost caused.

Professor Flitwick, head of Ravenclaw house, greeted us and handed us our new timetables. I looked at it briefly and cursed silently. The first double lesson were Potions. Great. Becca, Katie and Alistair must have thought the same as they all frowned in unison. I decided to break the thin ice.

„Listen, I… I don’t want to have any tension between us so… You all know how things are and although I’m not very fond of discussing any of it, you’re my best friends and you can ask me anything, should you want to,“ I said.

They were silent for a moment.

„Well,“ Katie said, „we just want you to be happy and not to worry much. We know it sucks. And we certainly don’t see you differently. Right?“ she turned to the other two for support.

They both nodded.

„Look, if you had some issues with… you know… just let us know, we’re here for you,“ Katie added.

„Thanks, I appreciate it very much. I hope my life won’t be much different. There are some rules and… I’m doing pretty much the same as I was doing before. Not many things are going to change,“ I said.

Becca looked at me and somehow she appeared sadder than before.

„Did you know I’m staying in our dorm?“ I smiled. I wanted them to feel assured that my life hasn’t turned to a complete mess.

„That’s great!“ Katie said.

„Yeah, unless you find out you have some occasional visits,“ Alistair said and all four of us understood his joke. It wasn’t that funny for me, I felt rather embarrassed, but it eased the atmosphere and I wanted them to feel relaxed. There was no need to tiptoe around me, I did not wish them to pity me. This way it was much better.

 

Waiting for Potions lesson and the first minutes were terrible for me. My schoolmates were watching me and they kept looking away the very moment I caught their stare. They knew I was married to our teacher and they were curious about his behaviour towards me in the classroom. Some of the Slytherin girls were giggling and whispering and I tried hard to ignore them. I was sure they were discussing things that were absolutely none of their concern. Two of them were watching me ostentatiously and I could see it in their eyes – _this is the girl who laid with the teacher_. _How was she feeling about it? And how was he feeling?_ Most of all they desperately wanted to see how the lesson would look like. Soon enough Snape let us to the classroom and we started to unpack our necessities. I nodded towards one of the furthest desks and the four of us occupied the two kettles there. I looked at Snape. He was completely unreadable, ignoring me.

„Instructions for Felix Felicis are on the blackboard,“ he said, „I don’t expect you to hand a perfect potion at the end of the lesson, but anything of the basic characteristics should suffice to be marked Acceptable.“

He turned back towards his desk and started his paperwork.

Slytherin girls exchanged looks with raised eyebrows. I wasn’t feeling very comfortable but I had to smile triumphantly in my mind. _Were they really that stupid and expected him to greet me with a hug and a kiss?_

Katie turned to me in the middle of the lesson.

„Everything allright?“ she whispered.

Did she mean the potionmaking or rather my feelings…?

„I’m fine,“ I replied although I was feeling a bit distracted. I needed to focus on the potion. It felt weird having my teacher/husband a couple of metres away and acting as if it was a normal lesson. For him it maybe was, but I needed to get used to this rather embarrassing feeling.

At the end of the lesson Snape got up to make his usual round in the class, looking at our potions. He commented several ones, leaving ours as the last one. Thanks to Becca who was really good in potionsmaking our result was not bad. Everybody was now staring at us, well at me and him, as if they were expecting him to praise my skills and me kissing his cheek in return. Not receiving any comments, we bottled our result and soon left the classroom.

„Wasn’t so bad, was it?“ Alistair muttered.

„No,“ the three of us replied.

„The lesson was unexpectedly calm, don’t you think?“ I heard behind my back. It was one of the Slytherin girls talking to her friend, a way louder than necessary.

„Of course, men are always different when they have all their needs satisfied,“ the other replied.

I frowned and my level of rage increased. If I could I would punch these idiots in the face. Was this what I would have to get used to on a daily basis? I felt Katie’s hand on mine in a don’t-worry gesture which I appreciated. It reminded me I had my friends around and it was not worth to go into skirmish. Smiling at my friend I continued up to the Entrance hall and to our next lesson.

 

„I hate Divination,“ Becca moaned when we climbed the silver ladder up to Professor Trelawney’s tower classroom, „I actually wonder why I haven’t given up yet.“

The room was too hot and over-perfumed as usual. I started to feel drowsy the very moment I sank to the pillowy pouffe.

„My children,“ Trelawney said, „today we will begin palmistry training. It is not an easy area of Divination and it requires bright mind and lots of concentration.“

The extremely hot room was a perfect condition for mind wandering but definitely not for concentration.

„Please, get into pairs and look at the initial instructions in your Palmistry for Beginners. The first scheme begins with three basic lines…“

I found it hard to study in this air that was far from fresh. I gave my hand to Becca and she said „this is nuts. According to the guide your line of life is so short you should have already been dead.“

 _Maybe it means emotionally dead_ , I though.

„Besides, it gets split into two lines at the end so you should be dead _and_ a schizophrenic,“ Becca added with a head shake, expressing thus her opinion of Divination.

I laughed shortly. „Maybe my life will be short and I will get mad at the end?“ I said.

Professor Trelawney, whom I didn’t notice, was standing behind me and on my words she turned and sat down next to me.

„Your hand, dear,“ she said dreamily.

I hesitated. This was not what I wanted. I didn’t want to know anything related to my future life. Especially not after my forced marriage.

„Come on, Miss Aiken,“ professor Trelawney insisted.

With a frown I offered her my palm reluctantly. I tried to look at least a bit more indifferent.

„Oh no, my child, you will not live a short life, quite the opposite,“ she said, looking closely at my palm, „you should be careful around April next year if travelling and… Oh, that’s sweet, darling, you will have three children.“

The class laughed instantly. Professor Trelawney looked confused. She obviously had no idea what she’s just said. But they all knew. Normally this would be a great moment and yes, it was a positive message, but it also meant… Or could it be that I’ll get divorced and start over with some real partner? Were these two lines two marriages maybe? If there was no one else in the room, I’d ask for details. My face was red. Some schoolmates were whispering and giggling and I hate it.

„Maturity level zero,“ Katie sighed, leaning to me and I nodded.

Three children. That was lovely. In a normal life. Somehow I pictured three dark-haired kids running around me and I better took Becca’s hand to give this palm reading a try.


	3. The Reminder

October came and all things went pretty much normally. My schoolmates got used to the fact our Potions lessons and generally encounters with Snape were unchanged. My nerves calmed a bit because there was no difference in how Snape treated me and the general embarrassing feeling in his lessons, where I sometimes realized what he had seen and done, subsided. That night was now nothing more than a distant memory. Not until this day I had to worry. Then it all went wrong with a Slytherin first year who brought me a piece of parchment with a seal.

„From Professor Snape,“ she said and turned to go.

„Wait!“ I called after her. „Did he ehm… say something?“

She shrugged. „Just gave me this letter for you,“ she replied and left.

My heart started to beat fast. _What could he want to tell me?_ I broke the seal and unrolled the parchment. The letter only contained a short note.

_My office, today at nine._

My heartbeat increased. _What did he want? Did I do something wrong?_ Nothing I knew about came to my mind.

That day I was very nervous. I didn’t tell my friends about the note. I didn’t want to give them a reason to worry. I didn’t even know if there _was_ a reason to be worried. I couldn’t pay attention during the whole day.

Before nine I told Becca that I needed some book from the library and left the common room. With my heart beating fast I went down to the dungeon. I took a deep breath and knocked at my husband’s door.

„Enter,“ a familiar voice called and I went in, my sweating palm slipping on the door handle.

„Do sit down,“ Snape said once the door was closed again. I noticed he was holding an envelope.

 _Sitting down?_ This seemed to be a beginning of a long conversation.

I crossed the room to sit on the chair opposite to his desk. He looked at me and then he said „this letter came today from the Ministry. Department of Marriage Law Control.“

Snape handed me the envelope which I took with my hand slightly shaking. I opened the letter and started to read.

 _Dear Mr Snape, Miss Aiken,  
_ _The Ministry of Magic takes the new Marriage Law very seriously. Rebuilding our magical society is an important task and however we are doing our best to succeed and help-_ “

 _Like hell you do!_ I though.

 _„-we cannot influence if and how every marriage rule is being followed. Our Department of Marriage Law Control found out your inactivity in private matters, in the last 30 days. It is an indivisible part of your magical marriage bond which will one day lead to a successful and significant contribution to our precious magical society. Please consider this letter as a reminder of your married duties. Should you need a consultation with a Healer in case your inactivity is caused by health-related matters, please, contact the appropriate department of St. Mungo’s Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. Otherwise, please, carry on in your married life and everything it offers._  
Good luck in your family life!   
With hearty wishes Yours sincerely   
Emmelda Brown   
Department of Marriage Law Control   
Ministry of Magic

The letter slipped from my numb fingers. I was shocked and speechless and… and… I wanted to cry. To crawl someplace and think. Or not think. Or die. Slowly my initial shock and despair changed into anger.

„Do you know what this letter means?“ Snape asked me. His voice was calm. Not teasing, not accusing me.

„I’m not stupid!“ I said through my gritted teeth. „I… I want to write a reply…!“ Quickly I wiped those two tears that escaped my eyes and looked at him. I wanted to look pugnacious.

„Britt…“

„I don’t care what the Ministry thinks! They _made me do it_! I’m not their puppet! I will not… not…,“ I stuttered in rage, knowing this fight was lost already. If the Ministry ordered something, it must have been done. My rage dropped back to sorrow and self-pity. I hid my face in my palms. I was crying silently and I didn’t want him to see it. Was there a way how to trick the Ministry into believing we were…? Probably not.

„I wish to be alone,“ I said silently so that I didn’t give away my broken voice.

„Not before we talk,“ Snape said.

_What did he want to talk about?! It was obvious, wasn’t it?_

„I don’t want to…,“ I said, but it sounded as if it was related to the talk, „do it,“ I added.

„Believe me I would rather not be spending my time with a whimpering teenage girl as well. However, rules are rules, as you can see,“ Snape sneered.

„What happens if you don’t follow them?“ I asked quietly.

He shrugged. „Disciplinary hearing? Azkaban? I don’t know and I will not risk a one-way trip to Azkaban just because you think life is not fair. Do you think you can outsmart the Ministry? Because,“ he leaned to me over his desk, „I don’t.“

I sobbed. There was no way out.

„I want to go. Please, let me go,“ I said.

Snape went around his desk and came to me. I looked up. There was no point in hiding my tears. I was ashamed, my belligerents gone.

„I will. But you are my wife. Don’t forget that when you come here once a week,“ Snape said with his silky, cold voice.

 _One night in a week!_ Oh, how much I didn’t want to obey! Could I flee from Hogwarts? I didn’t have the Trace upon me any more, I was of age. But with an incomplete education who would want me?

„You can go now,“ Snape said silently, „and if you have no other plans or duties for Friday evening, pay me a visit.“

My heart skipped a beat. A pre-arranged sex. I had two more days of heavy mind and heart. It would be better if it was now. Not planned ahead. I felt small, vulnerable, but somehow this arranged date was weirder than a spontaneous activity. Better be off with it fast!

„I… Can I… Can we… I mean, I’m here now…,“ I stuttered nervously, looking at my knees.

Snape didn’t react immediately. But then, without saying anything, he took out his wand and locked the door magically. The clicking of the lock was the loudest thing in the room apart from my heartbeat. I got up and followed Snape through the door in the back at the office. We were in his chambers, where… where it happened for the fist time. I was scared, embarrassed, upset and angry. I had to obey the Ministry who didn’t care about me and my feelings. For them it was a marriage like any other. And it was needed to be fulfilled like any other.

I was standing there, my head bowed down, my eyes hypnotising the stone floor.

 _Please just blow out the candles and make it quick_ , I thought.

„Turn around,“ Snape said and I turned slowly to face him. What I thought would never have to be repeated was happening again. I closed my eyes and started to unbutton my jumper clumsily.

„No,“ Snape said, „I’ll do it.“ He stepped closer and reached for the buttons. He undid them one by one and sent my jumper to the floor.

 _Should I undress him as well?_ It came to my mind but it was such a weird imagination, undressing the most severe teacher of mine who didn’t like me and whom I didn’t like as well so I couldn’t bring myself to do it.

Snape was slowly unwrapping me like a Christmas present.

_Make-it-quick, make-it-quick… Just go with it…_

Soon I was standing there just in my underwear. Snape withdrew his wand again and its tip touched my bare collarbone. Slowly he continued down between my breasts and with a little tap he magically made my bra disappear. My heart was trying to escape my rib cage. Again, Snape was seeing me naked – a situation I believed would never repeat. And now it was supposed to be happening weekly. The tip of his wand slid down to my abdomen, around my belly button, going lower. It touched the hem of my panties and started to go lower to my pubic area. There it stopped… And with the same tap Snape made my panties disappear. I blushed and nothing on Earth could have made me open my eyes. Snape’s thumbs suddenly touched my nipples. He started to caress them till they were hard. I hated how my body was responding to a touch I didn’t wish for. Snape rolled my nipples gently between his thumb and index finger. It was a new sensation and my lips parted as I sighed. His fingers left my tits and without warning his hand squeezed my waist and he lifted me up as if I didn’t weight anything. I opened my eyes in surprise. Snape laid me down on his bed. Suddenly his hands were everywhere. Going from my navel to my knees, then up to my thighs again… Snape parted my legs a bit and started caressing my inner thighs. Up and down, it tickled but I had to admit it was pleasant. I shivered without wanting to. I hated how my body was deceiving me. My eyelids were shaking. Snape broke the silence and muttered a spell which made my open my eyes again. I saw he was naked.

Gosh! I didn’t want to look curious and I tried not to study him. But I couldn’t help but notice two hings – his body was firm and quite good-looking and… his erection massive. No wonder I felt sore the other day. I was glad I had been spared this view before; it would only freak me out beyond imagination. He was certainly more than nine inches.

 _Now it can only be better_ , I kept saying to myself.

Snape’s fingers left my thighs and touched my womanhood. So soft, so tickling, so slow… I bit my lip because I felt a soft moan trying to escape my mouth. Why on Earth was my body speaking against my mind?! I didn’t want him to do this, Snape has always been my enemy and now his touch was making me shiver.

“Open,” he said in a whisper and I… I obeyed him, spreading my legs. He was looking at me and I couldn’t bear it. I closed my eyes. His warm hands pushed my thighs even more apart. I hated the exposure of my naked body but I couldn’t help it, my body didn’t protest. Snape’s thumb found my clit and rubbed it softly.

“Mmmh… no… please…,” I said jerkily but my womanhood did not say the same at all. Snape’s fingers were working down there, making my nerve endings shout with pleasure. I was trying to resist but each caress was bringing me closer and closer to the inevitable.

“It’s fine, Britt, you’re almost there,” Severus said.

Was I dreaming in some weird fever or was he really helping me…? Snape positioned himself and with a slow push he entered me. I cried out, it was painful. How come it was so painful…? I wanted him to stop, it was too much. Severus must have sensed my discomfort as he intensified his work on my sweet spot. His index finger was flicking fast on my clit. The pleasant explosion came and rolled over me as a wave rolls over a surfer. Snape started to move inside me and it became less unpleasant. I accommodated him and moaned as the pleasure now slowly started to exceed the pain. He gathered speed and a soft moan escaped his mouth as well. I sensed something big coming, as if it was ready somewhere but there still remained some way to go to reach it. Snape pushed further inside me and the pain was back.

 _Will it always be like this…?_ a thought came to my mind.

With a hiss Severus collapsed on me in what I guessed was his own release. I opened my eyes and found his. Those black pools were softer and more… human? And then…

“I’m sorry,” he said almost inaudibly.

_Or have I just imagined that?_

Either way, for a brief moment this man seemed to be a different person than the one I knew from my school life. A better one.

I was lying there, panting, tears streaming my face. I felt deceived. The worst was that the person who deceived me was myself. _Why was it so damn pleasant again?_ _It wasn’t supposed to be!_ I looked at Snape. He was lying with his eyes closed but he wasn’t asleep. None of us spoke and I just got up and started to dress myself quickly. The strange feeling between my legs was back. I slipped inside my school robes, drank the necessary vial Snape left on the bedside table and left the room, not looking back.

I ran back to Ravenclaw tower. It was close to ten and I was hoping there would be no one in our common room. I entered and the only person I saw was Becca.

„Hey,“ she smiled, packing her homework she’s just finished, „did you find what you needed?“

_Huh? Oh, the library!_

„Yeah, well… yes,“ I lied and continued towards the dormitory door.

„Britt,“ Becca said and I stopped, „why are you lying? We both know the library’s been closed since eight o’clock.“


	4. The Lady in Black

Shit!

I turned to her, crying. She saw my face.

„Oh my gosh! Britt, what happened? Are you allright?“ she was holding my hands in a moment.

I didn’t want to talk about the letter and what was going on.

„I’ll be fine,“ I said in a whisper.

„Is it… him? Britt, _is it_? Did he do something to you?“ Becca was wearing a serious expression.

„He’s my husband,“ I muttered, „and it means a… a lot of things. Please, I’d just like to go to sleep.“

Becca nodded. „Of course. Britt, it’ll be fine,“ she tried to cheer me up.

„Just don’t tell… you know, Katie and Al,“ I said.

„I won’t,“ Becca promised.

Did she guess what was going on? I found it embarrassing that my friend might just have been thinking about me having an intercourse with our Potions Master.

„Becca, you may… see me like this… well, more often. I just… Please, don’t worry about it. It’s just that I need to get used to my new life which I thought would be different,“ I said.

„It’s the Marriage Law Control thing, isn’t it? The letter they send,“ Becca almost whispered. Her voice was full of empathy.

How could she know?!

„How…“

„My Mum works there. I know a bit about the Law. She hates it, seeing so many unhappy people. And I know they are sending lots of… reminders. Britt, I’m not stupid. I know you probably thought you’d get away with it and I knew… I just didn’t want to ruin it for you. You seemed suddenly happier when you believed the two of you won’t be seeing each other much. I couldn’t bring myself to spoil it. I’m sorry I let you learn the hard way,“ Becca said.

I hugged her.

„It’s allright, I don’t mind. Actually, thanks for not ruining the happy month for me,“ I smiled.

It was a sad smile but still…

„I just hope he’s… nice to you,“ my friend whispered. And I had to nod. The fact was still terrible and unfair but I had to admit one thing: the unpleasant, sneering teacher tried to make it less a nightmare.

...

The end of October came and with it the Halloween feast arrived. The four of us were sitting in the Great Hall under all those jack-o'-lanterns floating in mid-air above us. Everyone's eyes were upon two strangers sitting at the teachers' table. A man about twenty five, long-haired, smiling. He was wearing a flaxen shirt with flower pattern and there was a narrow headband around his head. He strongly resembled what Muggles would call a hippie. Next to him, a young, tall and slim woman of about twenty seven was sitting, dressed in narrow black dress and wearing an expression of haughtiness. Her dark brown hair were combed into a ponytail and she was constantly checking her wristwatch. The hippie man turned to her, telling her something obviously hilarious as he himself was laughing. She reacted with pushing her chair a bit away from him, her nose up. 

"Who the hell are they? New teachers? Now, in October?" Alistair wondered aloud.

"She looks mean, just look at her," Becca said.

"I like the guy, whoever he is. Seems like a person who knows where to get some pot, you know...," Alistair winked, "The girl though, she looks like she'd confiscated it immediately."

We laughed.

"I think we're just about to find out who they are and why they are here," I said, nodding towards Professor McGonagall who's just taken a place behind the speaker's desk. 

"Silence, please!" she called out and the murmur in the Great Hall subsided.

"I would like to announce a presence of two new assistants. They will be assisting your teachers in Herbology and Potions and working on some extra projects."

Katie smiled, leaning to us over the table. 

"I can imagine how will Snape enjoy working with a grinning peace activist with flowers on his robes," she said, chuckling.

"Yeah, that's not going to work," Alistair replied.

Professor McGonagall contiued: "Mr Keith Wilcox came here from Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in America and he will be assisting professor Sprout in her greenhouses."

The Hall applauded as the young man stood up and bowed, grinning.

This meant...

"Miss Siobhan Jenkins who studied at Beauxbatons Academy in France and worked for some time as a healer with specialization on potions, will be assisting Professor Snape and working on their mutual project which, hopefully, will bring a significant change to the magical community."

My heart started to beat fast.

Somehow I automatically presumed the man would be Snape's assistant, because Snape working with a woman seemed even more surreal than seeing him cooperate with a happy hippie. 

Siobhan Jenkins neither stood up, nor she smiled. She was watching Professor McGonagall who was now wishing them both good luck.

"Well, that's a surprise!" Katie said, "I thought Keith was here for Potions. Can you imagine a woman working with Snape? She'll probably be gone before you say Quidditch. He's gonna let her feel what it is to step into his territory and mess around with his work."

"Bet me whatever you want, tomorrow there'll be a new announcement. This Jenkins woman giving up," Alistair said.

"Are you placing bets?" A fifth-year sitting nearby said.

"Maybe I should," Alistair winked, "six Galleons if Jenkins leaves within three days."

"I say within a week," the boy replied.

"Within a day," a girl sitting next to Katie joined.

I stayed out of this conversation. My friends were discussing my husband which I didn't feel like joining them. Besides, I was occupied with analysing the strange feeling of sudden dislike of this Siobhan Jenkins. Why did it seem to matter to me she would be working with Snape? I was hardly jealous, so why all this heartbeat and grumpy mood...?

We finished the dinner and slowly we went up to the Ravenclaw common room.

"There's one good thing about it, though," Alistair said before we parted to our dormitories, "it means Keith, being a Herbology expert, will indeed know something about a good weed."

 


	5. Fly Me High

On Friday we gathered in front of the Potions classroom, waiting to be allowed inside, as usual. The door opened and Siobhan Jenkins appeared in the doorway.

"Come in," she said simply. Becca frowned and I did, too.

"Is she actually teaching?" she whispered to me while we were unpacking our equipment for the lesson. 

Siobhan was wearing a black jumper and very tight jeans. It only revealed how skinny she was. 

"If she's leading the lesson, do you think we'll be brewing a vomit potion? She clearly is bulimic," Katie told us.

"I don't care," I shrugged and put my Advanced potion making textbook on the desk next to my cauldron.

"As you may know," Siobhan said, "I came here to cooperate with your Professor on a project I started in my home lab. Now it requires more than just a home equipment and the two of us find the cooperation and the whole project very important."

_The two of us?_ she was speaking as if she has known Snape for ages.

"I studied werewolves and I think we are now on a brink of a breakthrough cure. A complete cure."

One Hufflepuff girl raised her hand.

"Yes?" Siobhan said, looking somehow annoyed.

"No one can cure werewolves. My uncle's got bitten and he'll never be back to his former self."

Siobhan raised her eyebrows. 

"Not yet. But we're close. This year or the next one we're going to introduce the new generation of Wolfsbane Potion," she said self-confidently.

"Now, before Severus comes, I'll need your help. I can't let you handle Aconite leaves, they're extremely dangerous and also very expensive. But you can easily help with grating roots of Asphodel and mixing the matter with dandelion milk. When Severus comes, he'll take it from here."

I was scowling and I knew why. Siobhan was referring to Snape using his give name. This suggested certain closeness and I felt somehow deceived.

_Hell, this is groundless! This woman is no threat to me and even if she was, wouldn't it be for the better?_ _Severus could quit this marriage and probably the Ministry would agree if they saw he's dating a witch. He could remarry and I'd be free! A win-win situation._

I didn't understand my inner discomfort. Looking up, I spotted Siobhan was watching me. She probably knew who I was already. I didn't try to change my expression, I continued scowling. Let her see I was not pleased with her presence in the castle! Even though not particularly knowing why.

 

On Saturday there was a party in the Room of Requirement. Music was playing, house elves brought various dishes and everyone was in a merry mood. Katie was dancing with a Gryffindor seventh-year she fancied and I was sitting with Becca by the fireplace. Alistair came to us.

"Having fun, ladies?" he sat among us and took us around our shoulders.

"Yeah," I nodded.

"Could be even better, you know...?" he said mysteriously and when he saw our confused expressions he opened his palm, revealing a small bottle of deep purple liquid.

"What is it?" Becca said with a skeptical look.

"That, ladies, is Fly Me High. One sip and you'll forget all your worries. Everything will be just laughable. Want to give it a try?"

Becca frowned. 

"No, thanks. I don't do drugs."

"It's not a drug. It's just a mood enhancer," Alistair corrected her.

"Legal, is it? The why are you carrying it secretly in your hand?" Becca confronted him. 

"Well, it's not particularly allowed to have it at school. But the adrenaline of doing something forbidden... can you feel it?" Alistair winked.

"No, I can't. I think it's just stupid. Where did you get it, anyway?" Becca asked.

"My brother sent it to me by the owl post today. I don't know where he had obtained it," Alistair explained.

Mood enhancer?

I haven't felt good in a couple of months, since my marriage I've been forced into. Suddenly the Fly Me High potion seemed like not necessarily a bad idea. While Alistair was arguing with Becca I took the vial from his hand, uncorked it quickly and drank the whole content.

"Britt!" Becca cried out.

"Shit!" Alistair cursed, seeing the small bottle empty.

I could hear him saying "she should've only taken one sip!" and Becca replying "you bloody idiot!". Then the Room of Requirement changed. Colours I've never known existed were swirling in the air, walls seemed to be breathing, everybody's face was suddenly distorted and I started to laugh. It was all extremely hilarious. All worries were drained out. No, actually there have never been any worries! Then... the room turned upside down and my head split in two.

"You moron! Do something!" Becca shouted. Several people were staring hat her but she didn't care.

"I don't know!" Alistair was moaning. 

Katie left the dance floor and hurried to her friends.

"She needs an antidote! Look, her mouth's all foamy! Hurry, fetch Snape!" she barked at Alistair.

"Oh, shit! He'll kill me! I can't go there..."

"GET HIM NOW!!!" Becca screamed.

Alistair ran out of the room, followed by Katie.

The music stopped playing and most of the students left. They knew pretty well the following scene would be too dangerous to witness.

Snape came in about three minutes. His eyes briefly scanned the room and he knelt to the trembling body.

"No one leaves. You three, to my office!" he barked.

I was barely perceiving what was happening around me. I felt like being carried away and maybe I was. Everything seemed bright. Too bright. And colourful and extremely funny but suddenly I had no more strength to continue laughing. 

Soon I was lying on a soft surface. I heard voices, they were coming to me from distance.

"What did she take?" that deep voice I knew very well, but I couldn't remember who it belonged to.

"This," a younger voice, also familiar.

A second of silence.

"Fly Me High," the soothing baritone said. Then, in a more severe, demanding tone: "Who gave it to her?!"

"She... she took it and drank it whole..."

Someone was rummaging in a cupboard or at least it sounded like that. Then I felt a glass pressed to my lips and I drank what was given to me.

"Took it from whom?" the deep voice said.

Silence again.

"Took. It. From. Whom?!"

"Me," said the younger voice. "But... I... I didn't... she just took it..."

"Silence! Have you got  _any_ idea what kind of dangerous stuff you brought to the castle?!"

"I'm so sorry, I..."

"Step aside, foolish boy! This isn't over for you and you can rest assured that you're out of Hogwarts tomorrow! A hundred points from Ravenclaw. Now get lost, all three of you!"

Footsteps.

Door shutting.

A warm hand on my forehead.

"Britt, can you hear me?"

The voice sounded much calmer, much softer now.

I nodded. Those colours I was seeing vanished and so did the hilariousness of everything.

"Drink," the voice said and I swallowed another gulp of a sour liquid.

"You bloody fool," the man muttered and suddenly I knew who he was. It was Snape, my teacher and husband.

I started to feel more and more depressed. I was shaking. The feeling was extremely unpleasant, as if someone drained all happiness and fun out of the room. Even colours were missing. I was seeing in black and white. I better closed my eyes again. My emotions were on a roller coaster. I started to cry.

"What's happening?!" I said feverishly. "Make it stop..."

"You're going back to normal. But you were in an extreme state of enhanced and unnatural happiness. Now you have to experience the opposite until it goes back to normal," Snape said.

"So... sad. Desperate," I muttered. 

And then, as if someone was speaking through my mouth...

"Hug me."

I needed someone's presence. I needed to feel being loved. There was only despair all around me. Could I ever be happy again?

"Please..."

Snape didn't do anything. I opened my eyes and he was just sitting there at the edge of the bed upon which I was lying.

I felt insecure, not loved, sad and pathetic.

"Please... hug me. Make love to me."

I wasn't thinking of what was coming out of my mouth. I just felt love was a cure for my desperate mood.

"You don't actually wish for that," Snape disagreed.

"I do," I said, not recognizing my own voice. 

"Britt, you're talking nonsense because of the effects of the potion and I'm not taking advantage of having you in this state of mind."

I frowned, my eyes opening and closing. I was tired.

"You fool, what were you thinking, taking an unknown potion?!" Snape said.

"Wanted... to be happy," I said sleepily.

"I hope it was worth it," he sneered and got up, "a couple of more minutes without an antidote and your brain would be damaged beyond remedy. Thanks to your friend who's now packing his trunk!" Snape was back to his intimidating self.

What was he saying? I couldn't concentrate.

"Kiss me, please...," I whispered, desperate for someone's closeness and a bit of intimacy.

He ignored me.

"I'll send for Madam Pomfrey to watch over you while I investigate the party of yours. If there's more of this drug your friend will, as a wizard of age, face a disciplinary hearing. Good night," Snape said and he left. 

In several seconds I fell asleep.

 

I woke up in the morning with a throbbing head. I opened my eyes. Thank goodness the colours were back to what they were supposed to be. I saw Severus sitting opposite the bed.

"Oh," I moaned and touched my temples.

Snape was watching me.

"I hope you know how immature, foolish and irresponsible your act was," he said.

Great, now he's going to rebuke me.

I suddenly remembered everything.

"I'm sorry," I said, my voice hoarse, "I didn't know what I was doing. I was sad. I only wanted to feel happier."

"So you took a completely unknown potion and drank it whole. I wouldn't expect such thing from a Ravenclaw," he said, handing me a glass of water which I gratefully accepted.

_Dammit! Alistair!_

"Sir, can you please forgive Alistair?" I said quickly. "It wasn't his fault. It was all mine fault! He told me to take only one sip..."

" _Forgive him_?! He brought a dangerous drug to the school and almost got a student injured! He's going straight to the Headmistress and back home!" Snape said curtly.

"No! Please, don't expel him! I'm the one to blame! He never offered it to anyone else and... and...  _I told him to order it or me!_ Yes, it was my idea!" suddenly I made up a lie to save Alistair. 

"Impressive try to save your pathetic friend, you don't expect me to be stupid enough to believe your clear lie, do you?"

I whimpered.

"Please, don't ruin his career! He's made a mistake, I did too! Give us a detention but please, don't expel him. I'm begging you!" I sobbed and without thinking I got up from the bed, too quickly. I lost balance and fell right at his feet. I hugged his legs, repeating "please... please..."

Snape's hand rested on the top of my head for a second. Then, after what seemed a very long time, he said "I'll talk to the Headmistress."

I looked up at him, my eyes full of tears. 

"Oh, thanks a million, Professor!"

I hugged his legs even tighter and then I realised the awkwardness of the situation. I pulled myself off him.

"Sorry," I muttered, "I'm just... grateful."

Snape got up.

"You should go. Madam Pomfrey would like to see you before you return to your house."

I nodded and smiled at him briefly. 

"Thank you," I said and opened the door. I turned to him. "I am really, really grateful, Sir."

Then I left the room.

 

 


	6. Thirty Points From... Wait, What?!

The other evening I received a note from Snape. No  _how are you feeling?_ , that was not his style. It was an invitation. 

_If you are still so grateful about me saving your life, you can pay me a visit as my wife_ _..._ it read.

He was never descriptive, always polite and still it made my heart jump. But I didn't protest, which scared and surprised me a bit. Yes, I was used to sleep with him by now, having done so for a couple of times since our marriage day. And each time he paid me an extra attention before he entered me. I already believed he really didn't want me to suffer. Every time I felt more and more willing to let Snape do what needed to be done. My body started to feel different and the pain he's been causing me was becoming smaller and smaller. Each time I felt something massive approaching, as if there was a dragon sleeping in my womanly core, waiting to be woken up and unleashed, but the intimate while was over before the animal could be unchained. It felt like running to jump from a cliff but stopping at the edge because of a restrain holding me back somehow. It was frustrating, but still Snape paid a lot of attention to my clit and the orgasmic release as I knew it from my secret self-pleasing always came. But knowing there was something more sleeping inside me was exciting and I found myself hoping the next time it would finally reach me. I knew it would eventually come, looking forward to it, yet fearing it. I was torn between disliking Severus Snape and enjoying his changed behaviour whenever he was doing all those things to my body.

 

On Tuesday me and my friends were sitting in the Great Hall, finishing our lunch. The discussion centered around the final exams, N.E.W.T. Alistair and Katie were much afraid of it and no one could blame them - the name itself, Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Test - wasn't much of a help in calming one's nerves. 

"It's becoming more and more serious and the time flies a lot. I think I'll just have to study extra hard," I sighed.

"No, you won't have to," a voice behind me said. We all turned to see the Slytherin girl who was so eager to mock me on every possible occasion. 

"Sorry?" I said, my eyes narrowing.

"Well," she said, her arms akimbo, her posture and tone a bit theatrical, "you won't have to study Potions for example."

"Yeah? Says who?!" I said, my voice cutting.

"Being a teacher's slut will pretty much do. You'll get good marks."

I gasped. What did she just say?!

Before I could even think of a proper reaction, Becca jumped to her feet and punched the girl right in her face.

The Slytherin student shrieked and covered her face with her hands. Her nose was bleeding.

"You're going to regret this!" she hissed and quickly she walked out of the Great Hall.

"Oops! I'm off!" Alistair got up. "Sorry ladies, but I've been in too much trouble lately, you know. I don't want to cost Ravenclaw more points. If I'm found here, it's a one-way ticket back to London. McGonagall made herself clear after the Fly Me High incident. One more misdemeanour and I can pack my trunks."

"Coward," Katie muttered when he was gone.

Becca turned to me.

"Britt, don't you want to go as well? We'll understand. She's a Slytherin, you know whom she's going to fetch..."

I shook my head.

"We're in this together, Becca. Besides, it was entirely her fault. She shouldn't have provoked us," I said.

Short after that the girl reappeared in the doorway, followed by Professor Snape, his black cloak flying behind him. They stopped in front of our group. The girl had her nose fixed, a sneer on her face was saying it all.

"She hit me," she said, pointing not at Becca but at me!

_What the hell?!_

"Sir, that's not true!" Becca stood up immediately. "I did it! And I would do it again should anyone call my friend a slut!"

Snape was measuring Becca. The Slytherin student was suddenly feeling uncomfortable. What did she think she would achieve, marking me the attacker?! She was clearly only curious how Snape would react if she blamed me, his wife. Almost four months after our marriage and still I was a target of an experiment and someone's amusement.  _Yeah, let's find out what's going to happen if she's in trouble and Snape has to judge!_ This was pathetic.

Finally he turned to his student.

"I'm disappointed. I'd expect better from a student of my house. Thirty points from Slytherin for this false accusation, Miss Khan."

_Wait, what?!_ Points taken from Slytherin, his own house?! That was a surprise!

Snape looked at the three of us briefly and without addressing any of us individually he turned and left, the stupid Slytherin girl marching away too.

We exchanged our surprised looks.

"I can't believe it! He's been  _fair_! For the first time ever!" Becca said.

"Unexpected," I shook my head.

"Britt, I think he's... changing. Do you think it's possible?" Katie leaned to me.

I shrugged.

It was possible. In the last couple of days he indeed seemed a bit more... relaxed. If that word could even be used for describing Snape. But probably I was not the reason. The reason I suspected just came into the Great Hall.

Unsmiling as ever, Siobhan Jenkins sat on her place by the teacher's table and without saying hello to anyone she started to eat.

Becca noticed her as well.

"I hate these self-confident people," she told me, "I don't understand. Doesn't she see the friendly atmosphere in the castle? With her nose up and you're-all-inferior attitude she's ruining it. How the two, Snape and her, manage to cooperate, is beyond me. I mean, the're clearly both alpha and two alphas, that never works."

"Well, it does, obviously. Otherwise he wouldn't have let her call him with his first name. She's a bitch," Katie said.

I agreed, knowing by now that I disliked this woman very much. And I was afraid she was getting too close to Severus.

...

It was now two before Christmas and the notice board in our common room announced a visit to Hogsmeade, the magical village close to Hogwarts. All four of us decided to go separately as we didn't want to reveal what presents we would be buying for each other. Then we set up a meeting in the Three Broomsticks for three o'clock. 

I was walking along High Street, enjoying first snowflakes that were descending from the grayish sky. I visited Scrivenshaft's Quill Shop to buy a new, fancy quill of a pink colour for Katie and a new diary for the upcoming year for Becca. She liked to keep her notes in a diary and this one started to sing each time an event was approaching. In Honeydukes Sweetshop I bought a big box of magical allsorts for my parents, which I dispatched right from the local post office. In Dervish & Banges, which sold various magical instruments, I bought a tiny crystal ball that was able to predict and show the most probable consequence of a mischief one was planning to do. A perfect gift for Alistair. I had all my gifts packed when my eyes caught a glimpse of a newly opened bookshop, Madam Gretchen's Magical Books and Magazines. I've always loved books so I decided to pay a visit. There were still some fifteen minutes to our arranged meeting at the Three Broomsticks. 

The smell of books was pleasant, as usual. I loved browsing bookshops, either magical or Muggle. Whenever I was around Charing Cross Road in London it took an extra effort not to go to all those bookshops and spend my pocket money there. Now I was walking through the aisles, browsing various sections dedicated to many branches of magic and magical education. As I was walking towards the exit my eyes fell on a table displaying new books. There was one particular book that caught my eye. The title went  _Rare Potion Recipes_ , subtitled  _Also With Muggle Ingredients_. I took the book and thumbed through it. It was super advanced, definitely not a textbook for students. It was a perfect gift for my husband. I wasn't originally planning to give him a Christmas present and I was sure neither wasn't he. But the book was a perfect match and... why not? Snape was, after all, a family now. I felt obliged to him in a certain way and so I decided to buy the book.

It was three o'clock sharp when I arrived into the famous Hogsmeade inn. Becca was already sitting there, waving at me from a distant corner.

"Hi! I saw you leaving the bookshop across the street," she said when I sat next to her. We ordered mulled mead.

"Yeah, it's a new one. I like it. Lots of interesting titles and I think the prices are lower than in Diagon Alley. Did you pay a visit?" I asked my friend.

"Yes, just a brief one, though. Bought some cooking magazines for my Mum. Plenty of new magical recipes. Mum loves cooking and trying out new stuff," Becca said, "what did you buy?"

"I... nothing," I lied. Not knowing why, I didn't want to admit I bought a present for Snape. Maybe she'd think we were getting somehow closer to each other or so.

Katie and Alistair came in shortly after us, dusting snowflakes from their cloaks. They joined us at the table.

"The wind's getting stronger," Katie said instead of hello, "it'll be a tough walk back to the castle."

"Yeah, we should go soon," Alistair nodded, "otherwise we'll have to spend a night in the Shrieking Shack!"

"Don't be stupid," Becca said, "if the weather was that bad, teachers would escort us. They'd come for us."

"Yeah, Snape coming to pick us up from the Shack. As if the house itself wasn't scary enough," Alistair grunted with laughter. Then he looked at me. "Sorry."

"'s allright," I said and sipped my mead.

We raised our drinks.

"To one hell of a Christmas!" Alistair boomed.

At that time I had no idea how close to the truth he actually was.


	7. One Hell of a Christmas

It was our last lesson before Christmas holiday and we were sitting up in the North Tower in the Divination classroom. I was bored, Becca was cursing under her breath; she really hated this subject and I couldn't concentrate thanks to the perfumed heat which was making us all sleepy as usual. Constantly checking my wristwatch and looking out of the window were the only activities I could do while Becca was trying to combine crystal ball gazing with palmistry.

"It makes no sense," she whispered, "my palm says I'll most likely fail my Transfiguration exam which I daresay is an utter nonsense, considering I'm the best in the class. Then I look at the crystal ball and apart from a headache I get a smoky picture of myself holding a diploma with an E mark."

I chuckled.

"Seems to me you're going to fail but you'll transfigure the T mark to an E."

"Ha ha," she sneered and went back to gazing at her crystal ball, mumbling something inaudibly.

I looked out of the window again. I had a clear view over the snowy grounds and now my eyes captured a view that made my heart jump. There, on the path leading to the lake, there were two dark figures going up towards the castle. Although they were still a considerable distance away there was no doubt who they were. Siobhan accompanied by Snape. Were they really on a walk? Time to time they stopped and I saw Siobhan gesticulating quite a lot. I felt stupid and small. Here I was, a student, watching another woman walking and talking with my husband. They shared a passion for potion making, a thing I couldn't offer myself.

_Get a grip, Britt, are you effing jealous or what?!_

I kept watching them as they approached nearer. All of a sudden an owl swooped towards them and Siobhan held her arm outstretched so that the bird could land on it. I was watching Snape taking a note from the owl and handing it to Siobhan. The owl took off again.

Quickly I looked at Becca. She noticed where my attention went and was now watching the Potions Master and his assistant too. 

Siobhan was reading the letter and then, obviously full of happiness from whatever good news, she embraced him, pulling him close to her. She remained like that for a few seconds and although Snape didn't hug her back, he didn't protest.

This was too much for me and I didn't want to watch it any more.

I exchanged look with Becca and before my eyes filled with tears completely I quickly put my textbook inside my bag and headed for the classroom exit. Becca needed no instructions. I heard her excusing me, blaming it on my stomach. And before I stepped onto the silver ladder descending from the trapdoor of the North Tower classroom, I also heard another voice, the infamous mocking tone of Slytherin's Patricia Khan. 

"That's probably the three children prediction, Professor. You must have got it right."

"And you obviously forgot how it feels to have your nose broken, didn't you?!"

That was Becca.

 

I spent the rest of the afternoon in the common room, not talking much, trying to persuade myself that the situation I witnessed was in fact nothing. 

_It's just an expression of happiness, hugging someone. I'd do the same. Anyone would do the same._

I might not have liked Siobhan for her behaviour and I knew she was a bitch but obviously Snape was not her target, it couldn't have been and I was only imagining things that were not there in real. He was married, if nothing else, and not very pleasant to cooperate with. Their relationship was purely based upon work. What would she want him for? No, her hug was just a spontaneous reaction for the good new the owl brought.

When Becca came to the common room it was after dinner. 

"You weren't in the Great Hall. Aren't you hungry?" she asked.

"No," I shook my head, "thank you." 

She sat down on the sofa next to me. 

"Britt, I don't want to dig into your personal matters but considering we both saw what happened..."

I nodded.

"I don't think there's more going on between Siobhan and Snape. I heard them in the Entrance Hall after dinner. I stopped to listen, pretending to tie my shoelaces. She was happy about results from St Mungo's Hospital. It seems they sent a sample of the potion they've been developing to the hospital and now they got results back. She asked him if he wanted to join her personal celebration but he turned her down, saying he's got work to do. You see, if they were dating... it would look different. Just wanted to tell you this," Becca said.

"Why do I even care?" I shrugged. "To hell with both of them! Potions specialists... They're both unpleasant gits."

It was a pretended indifference.

"Nothing's going on, I'm sure of it!" Becca squeezed my shoulder encouragingly.

"Even if there was something going on, I'm not interested. I don't... love him or something. It just surprised me," I said, my mood grumpy. 

"Yeah. Of course," my friend nodded.

I was certain Becca knew more about my true feelings than she was showing.

 

That evening I couldn't fall asleep. Thoughts of Severus Snape were swirling in my restless mind. 

_I hugged him once too. And did he push me away? No, he didn't. So maybe he just doesn't mind being hugged, however strange and unexpected this sounds. There's nothing sexual about it. Even McGonagall could have hugged him and he'd not fight it. But Siobhan was inviting him to celebrate... What if he agreed? What if she seduced him? Or what if she didn't even have to try and he'd decide himself? Would he be doing those things to her he was doing to me?  
_

Another arrow of jealousy was just shot into my heart.

 _But. He. Didn't. Want to!_ I kept repeating. And that was a clear signal - Severus was not interested. And on that (wishful?) thought I fell asleep.

...

On Christmas morning I was woken up by the sound of paper being torn. It was six thirty and Katie was sitting on her bed, unwrapping Christmas presents.

"You two sleepyheads aren't curious?" she said merrily when she saw us rubbing our eyes and yawing. 

There was a huge pile of gifts at the foot of her bed. Katie came from a rich family and she's always had much more presents than the rest of us. 

"Oi!" she called and threw us a large box of Muggle sweets. "Macarons from Selfridge's, help yourself!"

"Thanks," Becca and I said in unison. 

We started to unwrap our presents too.

"Wow, a new watch!" Becca said happily. "I knew it, Mum mentioned she liked some in London."

My parents sent me a dress my Mum had sewn for me, specially for the graduation party. They were gold with red embroidery, short-sleeved and really beautiful. My Dad added a small box in which I found a matching necklace and earrings, also gold and red. 

"Queen of the graduation night," Becca said, "you'll look stunning. Well, at least someone. Look at this sweater from my Grandma. If I'm ever seen in it, that will be the day I'll look death straight in the eyes and say  _please, take me._ "

We laughed.

"Britt, thank you for the quill. Do you know I actually wanted to buy it myself? I love the colour!" Katie stroke the long, pink quill.

Becca also loved her gift from me, the diary I chose for her in Hogsmeade. Immediately she made a first entry, marking several projects in January. 

I offered them homemade Christmas sweets from my parents which they kept sending every year. We all loved them.

"Your Mum's gingerbreads are the best!" Becca said and Katie agreed with a vigorous nod.

I loved the gifts they gave me. Becca chose a book,  _1000 Magical Careers According to N.E.W.T. results_  which were to help me with decision about my future job. Katie bought me a gramophone record titled  _Popular Wizarding Christmas Carols_. As the case announced, it was a rare LP record, only five hundred pieces released. 

I thanked my friends and when they were too busy discussing a new edition of  _All About Wizards_   _\- A Manual for Witches How Not To Ride Only Broomsticks_ (Katie's present from her sister), I sneaked out of the room with the present for Severus. The castle was still deserted, it was too soon for a breakfast. I knew Severus would be awake though, he liked starting to work early in the morning. My heart was racing, he certainly wasn't expecting any gift from me. I didn't even know whether he celebrated Christmas.

I went down the dungeon stairs and gave his door a knock. There was no answer. Maybe he really was still sleeping? I was hesitating for a moment before I gave it another try, louder this time. I heard footsteps and finally the wooden door opened. Snape was standing there, his expression changing in the very same moment from annoyance to surprise. There was something unusual in the way he was looking at me. I must have surprised him, coming to him on Christmas.

"Morning," I said and with a brief smile I outstretched my hand, handing him the book wrapped in a glossy Christmas paper, "I came to wish you merry..."

The sentence, however, remain unfinished. With the corner of my eye I registered a movement in the room behind Snape. I refocused from short distance to long. There, by the table, Siobhan Jenkins was sitting, sipping her morning coffee. She was wearing nothing more than a silky nightgown. Not a garment one wears when visiting somebody. As if it was in a slow motion movie, my eyes full of shock traveled back to Severus' face. I dropped the book, my fingers suddenly too weak to hold anything. It seemed the object was falling unnaturally long. When it landed on the stone floor with a thud, I was catapulted back to the real march of time. Maybe Snape was about to say something, maybe he wasn't, that I never found out. I turned on a spot and without seeing through all those tear suddenly flooding my eyes, I took the stairs two at the time, running up, up and away from Snape and the cold dungeon. Away from the Potions Master, Head of Slytherin, my teacher, my husband... and an adulterer.

Barely breathing I reached the common room which was empty (thank goodness!). I was hoping Becca and Katie were already gone for breakfast but as I opened the door, they were still sitting on their beds, giggling. The sound of the door flying open made them jump.

"Britt, honestly if the door could speak..."

"Oh dear!"

That was the last thing I heard. Then I fell through a black hole and there was nothing more.

 


	8. The Winner Takes It All

“She’s waking up!”

“Britt! Can you hear us?”

_ Katie. And Becca. _

“Step away, she needs more tonic for her nerves.”

_ That's Madam Pomfrey’s voice. The healer. Am I sick? _

I opened my eyes and felt something cold touching my lips. It was a glass with some potion in it, held for me to drink it.

“Britt, how are you feeling?” Becca asked. I looked at her.

“I’m cold,” I said, “what happened?”

“You fainted,” Becca answered.

“You’re feverish, Miss Aiken. According to your roommates you ran to the dormitory, looking wild and then you just sank to the floor. Do you remember what happened?” Madam Pomfrey asked me.

I shook my head. It was painful.

“You called for me, Pomona?” 

A silky voice coming from the door.

It was him.

And I remembered.

“No…,” I whispered. 

“Yes, Severus. I believed you’d like to know about your wife’s condition. Her friends brought her here unconscious,” Madame Pomfrey said.

He came closer.

I turned my head the other side in protest. I didn’t want to look at him or talk to him. 

“I see,” Snape said and took my hand to measure my pulse.

I wasn’t looking at him, I played it on an indifferent note. But hell I wanted to do differently. I wanted to scream and hurt him.

“She’ll be okay. Needs rest,” Snape said.

_ Like hell I will! _

“Yes, exactly. Would you like to stay with her?” Madam Pomfrey asked.

“Not necessarily,” Snape replied.

_ Of course, you have more important things to do! _

“I want _my friends_ to stay,” I said faintly. I wanted to specify, to put an emphasis on who I wanted here.

“A couple of minutes,” Madam Pomfrey agreed and left together with Severus.

“Britt…,” Katie took my hand, “do you know what happened?”

“Katie, she needs to rest,” Becca said.

“I’m fine…,” I said.

“Britt, you don’t have to tell us,” Becca said, “however, we’d like to help. Is there something… _someone_ … that bothers you?”

I nodded but I didn’t want to go into details.

“I don’t feel like talking about it right now,” I said.

They both understood. Soon they left me and thanks to the tonic for the nerves I fell asleep soon.

...

A week passed since the unpleasant encounter in Snape’s chambers. I hated every Potions lesson, I hated being close to Siobhan and seeing Snape close to her was like a dagger to my heart. 

_ I don’t love him!  _ I kept repeating to myself.  _ I don’t care who he sleeps with! _

The truth was, he did not summon me a single time since that morning. I missed that but on the other hand I didn’t want him to engage in intimacies with me.

_ Now he’s got Siobhan. A real woman. _

_ Stop! _

She was older, more beautiful, very slim… He must have liked her. 

Was he doing the same things to her as he did to me? Was there even more? He never kissed me, for instance. Did he kiss her? I read about various lovemaking techniques which I was suddenly sure the two of them were doing. She was an experienced woman. What was I compared to her? A student, an involuntary wife, an annoying burden who couldn’t offer much. The jealousy I was feeling was burning me from inside. 

It was Saturday afternoon and I needed to be alone to sort things out. I found an unused classroom and sat in the corner on the floor. Afternoon sunrays were penetrating wooden shutters and the room was semi-dark. When my eyes accustomed to the suddenly darker place, I started to explore the room. Old textbooks were piled in cupboards, desks and chairs were upturned by the wall and in the front where the blackboard was, there stood an enormous mirror. I came closer. It was old, its thick, ornated frame painted with faded gold. At the top a barely visible words were carved:  _ Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on woshi. _ I had no idea what it meant, I’ve never seen such language before. I looked at the surface of the mirror and I was expecting myself to look back at me. However, it was not what happened. I was there, yes, indeed. But I was wearing a different dress, I was smiling and I was not alone. Severus Snape was standing next to me, he was - this was insane! - smiling too and he was holding my hand. In my other hand I saw my Hogwarts graduation diploma. Was this showing my future? This was strange. I kept staring into the mirror, watching those two happy faces. 

“I guess you are now trying to figure out if you’re seeing your future, right?”

A voice echoed in the classroom. 

_ Her voice. _

I turned to see Siobhan Jenkins standing by the door, smiling triumphantly. She came closer.

“I must disappoint you. You’re not.”

“What do you want?” I said, frowning.

“I came here to talk,” she said calmly, “ _ and _ to see  _ my _ future. You know, this is the  _ Mirror of Erised _ . It shows your heart’s desire. But for me it also shows my future.”

Siobhan came facing the mirror.

What was she seeing?

“You know, I’m surprised,” she said, turning her head to me, “I’ve been told Ravenclaws were the smartest.”

“Meaning?” I sneered. I was proud to be Ravenclaw.

She shrugged. 

“Obviously not everyone. Otherwise you must have figured out by now that a girl like you doesn’t stand a chance.”

My eyes narrowed and my heart was beating fast.

“Oh, sorry, you haven’t, right?” she pretended to be surprised. Then her poisonous tone was back: “in that case, let me enlighten you. A girl like you, and no matter if she’s a wife or not, doesn’t stand a chance next to a woman like me. A grown-up woman with complete education and a passion she shares with your… _ husband _ . Did you really think he’d choose you over me? A student with no particular skills, with no woman weapons? No, dear, that’s not what’s going to happen.”

I wanted to cry. Her words were biting me, digging under my skin. But somehow I managed to face her.

“If not, what is?” I said with so much effort to stay calm and cold.

“This,” Siobhan said, looking into the mirror again, her hands caressing her belly as if she was…

I gasped.

“A fame for the potion and a family,” I heard her saying, “becaues, while you’ve been drinking  _ this _ ,” she rummaged in her handbag and produced a famous vial with pink-and-blue potion, “I am taking  _ this _ .” Again, she dug in her handbag and showed me the same small vial, this time with red potion inside.

I didn’t understand.

“Yes, I know how to turn the contraception potion into actually it’s very opposite. With a bit of luck and a few more drops of this pregnancy supporting potion I’ll soon become more attached to Severus that you’ve ever been.”

I dug for the vial but she was faster - maybe she even expected me to do so. She laughed as she jerked her hand and hid her vial back inside her handbag.

“A friendly advice, Miss Aiken,” she leaned to me with the fakest of all fakest smiles, “don’t fight it.”

And she was gone.

 

“You have to report her,” Becca said, “to McGonagall preferably.”

I shook my head, tossing away another hankerchief. A millionth one, I guessed.

“She wouldn’t… interfere… in private lives,” I sobbed.

Becca was insisting.

“But you _have to_ do something! You can’t let her win this battle!”

“There’s no battle,” I said and blew my nose.

“Of course there is, Britt, you have to tell someone! Tell _him_! She’s been using him!” Becca squeezed my shoulder to emphasize her words.

“He’d never believe me,” I was almost certain of that.

“I can ask Mum what the Ministry does if somebody cheats. Maybe they divorce them without much fuss,” Becca suggested.

My heart sank.

I didn’t want to get divorced. A couple of months ago I’d have been grateful for this situation, for a reason to get us split. But now… It was there. Clear as Veritaserum, the truth potion. I fell in love. I wanted Snape to do what he had been doing to me, I wanted to lie in his bed and touch him. I wanted him to be mine. Not Siobhan’s. Mine. It surprised me beyond imagination. 

“Let’s not…,” I said silently.

“What? Britt, this could be your way out!” Becca said and gave me a look as if I wasn’t aware of what she was saying. “Your marriage - gone!”

“I know,” I replied, “but…”

_ Shoot, I’ll need to explain to her. _

“Becca, I… I think I don’t want it to be gone.”

She was silent for a moment.

“Can you… Can you just repeat what you’ve just said?”

I blushed. I didn’t want to give away my sudden feelings. But Becca was my friend.

“I think…,” I said, “something’s changed, you know…”

“ _Changed_?” she said in a high-pitched voice. “Like what? I don’t understand. You’re in a nightmare and you don’t want to wake up?!”

“I’m not,” I said, “in a nightmare. I’m not.”

My friend was thinking.

“Do you mean… you’ve got… feelings for him?” she almost whispered.

_ Here it is… _

“I think I do,” I admitted.

Becca was a real friend, she didn’t laugh at me or question me.

“In that case, you’ve got one more reason to fight,” she said.

My heart was running a marathon when I entered the dungeon. Becca encouraged me and I wanted to talk to Snape about what I saw. I feared she would be there and ruin my self-confidence, but it turned out that Siobhan was in London.

On my husband’s call I entered his office. 

“Yes?” he asked and I had to hold my head high and repeat  _ I’m having it firmly in my hands _ , otherwise I’d crumble under his mere look.

“I’d like to talk to you,” I said, my heart jumping madly in my ribcage.

“I’ve got work to do, so it’d better be important,” he replied.

“It is,” I said, facing his look. This pretended bravery was making me insane.

_ You can handle this! _

“Then, what is it that’s on your mind?” Severus said.

“I had a talk with Siobhan,” I said, her name making me almost sick.

“Obviously,” he uttered.

“She told me to get out of her way,” I said.

“Is this what she said?” there was a trace of disbelief in his voice.

“Basically, yes. According to her, I don’t stand a chance against her. I’m a child and she’s mature, that’s what she told me,” I said.

“And what does it have to do with me, Miss Aiken?” he sneered.

“Everything!” I raised my voice. “Don’t you _see_ it? She’s been _using_ you!”

_ Wrong. I shouldn’t have raised my voice. _

“I don’t think that’s true,” he replied calmly and went to stir a potion that has been boiling in a cauldron nearby. “What I think  _ is _ true, however,” he continued slowly, “is your inability to control your… emotions.”

My eyes narrowed.

“My emotions?”

“Jealousy, perhaps?” he rolled his lip in a pretended, rather theatrical suggestion. “Clearly, it’s out of your control.”

_ Shit! _

“I can see what you can’t see! And it’s damned obvious!” 

“Enlighten me, then,” he almost smiled. It was a smile of disbelief.

“That… that  _ woman _ is using you to trick you into helping her to fame and love and family!” I couldn’t hold it any more. I started to yell. “She’s using your skills and you’re so… _dumb_ … that you believe her everything!”

It was out. I called him dumb.

“Careful, Miss Aiken, otherwise you’ll buy yourself a detention. I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear your foul language…”

I interrupted him.

“I don’t  _ care _ about your stupid detention! She’s brewing a secret potion right under your nose!”

He gave me a tired smile.

“Yes? Secret potion, is it now? What else? Surprise me, Miss Aiken.”

His words were hurting me but it also made me angry. I didn’t want to lose him so easily. 

“She’s turning your contraception potion to a pregnancy support! She told me - showed me - herself! I met her in one of the unused classrooms and there was this Mirror of Erised and she told me she was seeing herself with you and your child and the two of you famous for the potion…! Just check her handbag! She’s keeping her secret potion there!” It was out and my level of rage dropped as I said what I wanted to say. Tears were fighting their way out of my eyes. I looked at him, into his mesmerizing eyes and tried my last chance. “Please… trust me… Severus.”

He was looking at me for a moment. Was he considering what I’ve just revealed?

“As I said, you’re making up stories through your jealousy. That’s not what I’d expect from a mature woman. Clearly, Miss Jenkins' got a point about your level of maturity. Now, if you calmed down and don’t have any more of your assumptions that you’d like to present, I’d appreciate that you leave.”

He didn’t believe it, just as I thought he wouldn't. It was too late - that nasty woman got him exactly where she wanted to have him. There was no point arguing. 

Siobhan Jenkins won.


	9. Back to London

On Monday I left Hogwarts. I packed my handbag and used one of the secret passages to get to Hogsmeade village and from there I apparated to London. It was snowing heavily and I went directly from Victoria Garden which was a good, quiet spot, ideal for unnoticed apparition, to the public lavatories on Whitehall, which served as an entrance to the Ministry of Magic. I took a lift to the fifth floor where the Department of Marriage Law had its offices.

“It’s terrible, terrible out there!” an elderly witch who was travelling with me said.

I nodded absent-mindedly.

“Fifth floor, Department of Marriage Law Control,” the disembodied voice announced and I got off the lift, saying goodbye to the witch who hated snow.

I came to a front desk.

“Your name?” a pink-haired, young witch asked me.

“Britt Aiken,” I answered and her large book which was placed on the desk in front of her opened automatically.

“Married to Severus Snape?”

“Yes.”

_ Not for a long time _ , I wanted to add.

“What can we do for you?” the witch receptionist asked.

“I’d like to request a divorce,” I said. It sounded stupid somehow.

“Third door on the right,” she told me. Obviously she was used to that.

I knocked the particular door and came inside a small room.

“Good afternoon,” a witch who was sitting by a large, L-shaped table greeted me. Her colleague, a small wizard sitting opposite her looked up.

“Hello,” I replied.

“What brings such a young lady here?” the witch called merrily.

_ Too merrily, for a divorce office _ , I thought.

“I’d like to get divorced,” I said. I’d never believe those words would feel painful. I always thought of them as of a relief.

“Please, do sit down and tell us more. Is there a reason for your decision? We must inform you that simple matchmaking that you object is not a reason for a divorce. Does your husband agree?” the wizard told me.

I sat down.

“No, he doesn’t, because he doesn’t even know. He’s been cheating on me and is probably expecting a family by now so I’d like to have it quick and without a fuss!”

All the anger that accumulated inside me now went out. I was surprised by my own words.

“Can you be more specific?” the merry-voiced witch said.

_ What can be more specific?! _

“My husband’s having an affair which he doesn’t deny. When I told him that I'd found out, his reaction was indifference. He wishes to continue in his adultery and I want to get divorced,” I said, “simple as that,” I added silently.

“Allright, Miss Aiken. We will have to notify your husband, then wait for his written statement, a visit will be scheduled and the jury will decide whether your request will be granted,” the wizard said.

“A visit? Do I… do I need to be present?” I asked. The less I would see him the better. 

“Of course. We are giving equal opportunities to both parties to express their mind and wishes. Some of them leave this office hand in hand again,” the witch said encouragingly.

“Hardly our case,” I muttered.

“Now, does your situation leave you without a place to stay? I see you are a student. Have you got some place to go?” she asked.

I never really thought about it. I didn’t want to bother my parents, there was plenty of time once I was divorced. And going to Snape’s place… that was not an option..

Before I managed to reply, the door opened and Becca’s mother was standing in the doorway.

“Thank goodness!” she said and hurried to hug me.

“Mrs Chesterield!”

“Dear, you caused some trouble!” she looked worried. “Becca informed me that you disappeared and she told me, well, about your personal issues. Smart girl, she knew you would most probably come here instantly. And then I heard that you indeed came… I need to let her know that you’re all right.”

“I’m sorry. I wouldn’t have been able to leave if I told someone. It needed to be done this way. I know they’re going to expell me,” I said.

“Nonsense, I’ll write to the headmistress with an explanation. You’ll stay at our house till this mad situation is over,” she smiled.

“Thank you, Mrs Chesterfield!” 

“We’ll be sending an owl to your husband shortly,” the witch said, “and we will inform you about the communication and your next session at the Ministry.”

“Thanks,” I said and turned to go.

“Now, I’ll just lock my office and get you home, dear. You seem like you’d welcome some hot chicken soup.”

I smiled and it felt like I almost forgot how to do it.

“That would be fantastic.”  
...

Three days passed and I was helping Mr ans Mrs Chesterfield around the house. They lived in Wimbledon and I was spending most of my time in their beautiful garden. I received a letter from Hogwarts, explaining I was not going to be expelled and that I should return as soon as my situation would allow me to. 

An owl from the Ministry came the other day, summoning me to a first hearing where both husband and wife had to be present. I feared that day, it was planned for January 10th and the closer it was getting the more nervous I felt. 

“Don’t be afraid, many people are getting divorced,” Mrs Chesterfield told me the day I received the invitation. 

“Will they ask me… Well, question? I mean… personal ones?” I blushed. 

“I don’t know Britt, I’ve never attended a hearing myself. Just remember to be honest with them,” Mrs Chesterfield said. 

I didn’t want to talk about private matters at the Ministry. I remembered the initial letter from the Department of Marriage Law Control. 

“Mrs Chesterfield,” I said quietly, “there was a letter… the… the reminder. You know...,”

She nodded.

“I mean… it’s… It has been… okay since then. There’s no need to… I don’t want to talk about these things,” I said.

She understood and squeezed my hand encouragingly. 

“You always have a right to say you don’t feel comfortable to answer.”

We chatted for a while and I went to write to Becca then. She was worried, sending an owl almost every day. She was careful with describing what was happening in the castle and although I was curious, I never asked. Of course I was thinking about him and sometimes when I woke up in the morning I knew I had dreamed about him, about those moments we shared. They seemed far away and I was upset, knowing they’d never repeat. Snape now belonged to Siobhan and I was certain the two of them were engaging in practices I've never had a chance to try. I missed his gentle touch and his words of assurance when I was afraid. Now he had a woman who was not afraid of anything. Only a fool would go back to an inexperienced, scared schoolgirl.

...

The day of the hearing came. I had a new dress from Camden Market, because the only piece of clothes I had was my school robes and a pair of jeans and T-shirt Becca's Mum found in my friend's wardrobe. I blended with Muggles easily and I set on a journey to the Ministry, my head heavy with worries. 

I arrived to the fifth floor and looked around. The last time I was here was the worst day of my life - my marriage day. Now I saw it differently and I didn’t want to give it up. However, I had to. 

“Miss Aiken,” the receptionist handed me a piece of paper for signing and sent me to the door at the end of the corridor. In front of the closed, ornate door I saw a tall, dark figure. He was here already. I wished I could disappear.

As quietly as possible I sat down on a bench, ignoring him. He turned as the old, wooden bench gave a creaky sound when I put my weight on it. 

“Britt, did you get my message?” he asked immediately.

I didn’t even want to look at him.

The truth was I knew there was a message from him, but I never opened it.

“Didn’t read it,” I said simply.

“Then you should know that…”

“Miss Aiken? Professor Severus Snape?” the wooden door opened and a tall, middle-aged witch called us inside.

Althought Mrs Chesterfield gave me a strong tonic for my nerves, I was still shaking with fear.

“Please, take a seat,” the witch said and we sat down in the middle of the circular room with terraced benches as in an amphitheatre. There were no witnesses, only the jury in front of us. This jury consisted of six people and I knew none of them. 

“We are now beginning the initial hearing that may or may not, in its final, get you divorced,” an elderly witch with aquiline features, who was sitting in the middle of the jury said.

“We have received a request from you, Miss Aiken, with a statement that your husband is being unfaithful in your marriage, has been confronted about it by you and does not deny his guilt. In his written expression he confirmed this part and agreed with your proposal.”

My heart sank. So he agreed.

_ Well, why shouldn’t he? _ It was obvious, it was just in my head that I pictured he would be fighting for at least for some time.

The witch continued: “The track of your marriage is a rather short one, beginning the August 31 st this year. There are no conflicts noted in your folder apart from one reminder sent to you on 2 nd October.”

I went red, my heart beating fast.

“This is not unusual with new Ministry-arranged marriages and will not be considered important as the situation never repeated.”

_ Thank goodness! _

“Miss Aiken, could you please tell us about your marriage? How it worked?”

My mouth was dry. I didn’t want to speak about it with Snape sitting by my side.

“Miss Aiken?”

I had to. I braced myself.

“There was… nothing wrong. At… at the beginning I was scared and angry and I felt desperate from being bound with someone I didn’t love. But… the truth is… he was never evil to me.”

“How would you describe your married days?”

“I… I am still a student so we agreed on acting in accordance with this fact. I stayed in my dormitory and he let me study. We didn’t talk much,” I said.

“Did he treat you with privilege in his lessons?” the questioning woman ask, making notes.

“No.”

“Miss Aiken, I have to ask you a personal question. You were meeting your husband apart from your lessons to engage in your married duties. Can you tell us how often you were meeting in private?”

_ Dammit! _

I opened my mout to speak but no sound came out. 

I tried again.

“Once a weak,” I said quietly.

“Have any of you made an attempt to change this pattern?”

I shook my head.

“No.”

“During these times, how would you describe your husband’s behaviour?”

_ Please, just stop these questions! _

“He was… always kind to me.”

“Very well,” the witch continued, “now if you could describe how you found out about your husband’s affair, please.”

I felt so miserable; he was sitting next to me in silence and to me it was worse than the Cruciatus curse.

“I think they developed their mutual feelings because they both understand their area of expertise so well. The successful progress of their potion brought them together, I believe. First I… I saw her hugging him and on Christmas morning I went to give him a present and… she was in his chambers only in… in her nightgown. And since then we never… never… met privately. Then I met Siobhan - the other woman - and she told me her plan, she was taking a concieving potion and she wanted fame and family with… my husband.”

Tears were now streaming my face and I felt so ashamed. Going through this betrayal again was painful.

_ What betrayal?! He never loved me! Only I was so stupid that I fell in love with him in the end! _

“Is there anything else you would like to share with us?” the witch asked me.

“No,” I sobbed.

“Mr Severus Snape, do you agree with what has been said?”

“Most of it, yes,” he replied calmly.

“How would you describe your relationship with Miss Aiken?” 

“I found her whimpering and childish at the beginning,” he said.

_ Great. _

“You say _at the beginning_. Does that mean it changed?” the witch frowned a bit.

“Yes,” Snape replied slowly.

Well, that was a surprise!

“Tell us, from your point of view, how was your marriage? Your private life?”

Snape was emotionless, or at least he seemed to be.

“There was not much of it, we were meeting only scarcely. It was a teacher-student relationship with just a few hours spent as a husband and wife. None of us was interested in meeting the other privately, at the beginning. Then it… changed.”

I was listening and didn’t understand. What change was he talking about?

“Can you describe what changed?”

The question I was hoping for was spoken.

“Miss Aiken’s nonverbal response to… our time spent together became different. I believe she was less angry with the situation, with the forced marriage. I could touch her and she wouldn’t mind,” he said in his soft, silky voice.

Seductive voice.

_ Stop it! _

“Did your feelings change?”

“I stopped feeling like being… forced to spend private time with a wife too young who constantly resisted me. We were more like… equals, for those moments.”

_ He’s lying! None of his feelings changed for sure! We were never equals! _

“Then you met Miss Jenkins,” the witch said and made several notes.

“Yes.”

“What can you tell about your relationship with her?”

Snape looked slightly annoyed but he continued.

“She was… gifted. We could talk about our mutual work for hours, without the necessity to explain anything about potion making to each other. Our project we were working on was successful and Miss Jenkins could charm with her cleverness and maturity. It was difficult not to perceive her as a woman when I had to work with under-qualified teens all the time. I think these things combined caused that we… that it happened like it shouldn’t have.”

_ What?! _

“Shouldn’t have happened?”

Severus looked at the jury and then at me again. Then, he said slowly:

“I am,  _ truly _ and  _ deeply _ sorry about what happened. Before I tell you -  _ show you _ \- more, I’d like to say I was infatuated by Miss Jenkins and that I regret this had happened.”

Snape's expression was somehow softer when he was talkig to me.

“I’ve got something to show you. It’s a memory dated four days ago. After this had happened I sent you an owl with the message you’ve never read. Everything was explained there.”

I was measuring him suspiciously.

He turned to the jury.

“I would like to present a memory to my wife and to whomever wants to have a look. Can a Pensieve be brought here, please?”

A young wizard got up and left, returning a couple of minutes later with a stone bowl. Severus opened a vial he had in his palm and poured the silvery fluid it consisted inside the bowl. 

“Please, have a look,” he told me.

Hesitating, I lowered my head above the Pensieve and then my face touched the surface. I was drawn inside the memory, a feeling I immediately disliked as my stomach turned and I felt nauseous and dizzy. I closed my eyes and opened them when I felt being steady again. I looked around and saw Severus opening the door of his chambers. His eyes rested on Siobhan who was bent over his desk, doing something with two vials. He closed the door and the woman turned, a surprise on his face.

“Sev! I wasn’t expecting you! What are you doing here?” she said and tried to act naturally.

“I am under the impression I can come to my chambers whenever I like,” he said and his sharp eyes were wandering from the table to her hand which she had hid behind her back.

“What are you doing with all those lady’s mantle leaves and lepidium meyenii root?”

She smiled.

“Nothing really… just… experimenting.”

“What is it that you’re hiding?”

“I’m not...”

“Siobhan, I can very easily slip into your mind right now and see your thoughts before you manage to say _Veritaserum_. I am now giving you a choice to answer me without being forced to,” Snape said coldly.

“Severus, it’s…”

He made one quick step and was standing beside her, wrenching her hand open. Several lady’s mantle leaves fell on the floor. A pink-and-blue potion in a vial, slowly turning red, was resting on her open palm.

“She was right,” Severus said quietly, his eyes narrowing, his voice was deadly serious.

“I’m sorry, Sev…,” Siobhan grimaced and tried to catch him as he walked away.

“Yes, you should be, Miss Jenkins. Are you aware that I didn’t trust my wife when she warned me about your plans? That I accused her of being just jealous? Her request for divorce is now lying on my desk right now!”

“Please, Severus!” Siobhan started to plead. “You implied it yourself - she’s a mere student! She can never satisfy you in working cooperation. And not just there! You said that, remember?”

“I never said such thing, Miss Jenkins,” Snape said coldly.

“Between lines, you did. I’m not stupid. Your marriage was unfulfilled!”

“My marriage is ruined because of your foolish plan! Whatever opinion I might have had on Miss Aiken, it is none of your concern!” Snape hissed.

“Severus… you can’t be serious! We could be happy! Our potion, our plans! I love you! Will you really toss it all away for a child who never loved you?!”

“Again, Miss Jenkins, matters about me and my wife have nothing to do with you. Now leave.”

Siobhan laughed hysterically.

“ _Wife_ , now you’re talking about your _wife_! When I was on my knees in front of you, it was…”

“I said, leave. These chambers  _ and _ the castle. Now should you make me to repeat it once more I will make sure that your career in potion making is over,” he said threateningly.

“Severus, forgive me! Please! I can fix this!” Siobhan touched his arm.

“You can fix _what_ , exactly?!”

“I… everything! Stay with me, please, don’t send me away! Without you I won’t be able to finish the potion!” Siobhan pleaded.

Snape rolled his lip.

“Then I’m afraid you only made me lose my time with an average potion maker. Now, this conversation’s just ended.” 

The memory was over and I emerged up from the Pensieve, looking as if I’ve just seen a ghost.

_ Was this real? Did he really fight for his marriage? That was unbelievable! _

“I’m sorry,” Snape said quietly and it was meant for my ears only, “I made a great mistake. I regret that I didn’t believe you and I regret what I said.”

_ Certainly he couldn’t mean that that his wish was to remain married to me?  _ We had nothing in common and he didn’t love me.

But I did love him. Yes, the wound was deep, but whenever I recalled his touch on my body, I felt like melting. Only a fool would give this up.

Two members of the jury were watching the memory now. 

“Can you forgive me?” Snape asked, maybe for the first time in his life. He sounded so unsure, as if an apology was nothing he’s ever said before. I recognized the gentle side that I knew from our lovemaking moments.

“I don’t know,” I whispered, “you hurt me so much. I don’t want to remember but I will. She’ll still be there, like a ghost! And you were right, I was never truly your wife. You don’t like me and you know I’m not sufficient for you. She was right, I can hardly satisfy your needs, compared to her.”

He looked into my eyes and I felt lost in those black wells immediately.

“You’re my wife and I’d like you to stay one. You’re not a child any more,” he said quietly.

_ Did he really say that? Was he capable of such thing? I couldn’t believe it. _

“I’m not who you want. Or need,” I said.

He put his palms on my shoulders and with an urgency in his voice he told me “then _tell me_ , and tell _them_ , you want to get divorced. _Look_ at them and _say it now_!”

I looked at him and then, slowly, my eyes moved to the jury. I held my breath.

_ Just say it. Say it and it will be over.  _

But I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I wanted to forgive him. I wanted to feel his body again, I wanted to writhe underneath him, I wanted to taste his kiss, I wanted to do so much more! And I was certain he was aware of that because his lips twisted in a smile. 

“Miss Aiken, as the Pensieve now changed the situation in a certain way, you may wish to reconsider your decision. On the other hand, although the memory does prove your were right, it changes nothing on the fact that your husband committed adultery. The decision is up to you. You may wish to continue your request to divorce, you can withdraw it completely or take a few days for thinking,” the questioning witch said to me.

The third option seemed like a good idea. I was thinking.

Snape, my husband, treated me well again. And those nights, I suddenly remembered them all. His gentleness, how he always prepared me, how he never took me with force, how he even stroke my hair once.

The monster I considered him to be was gone somehow. And so was Siobhan Jenkins.

“Do you… did you… love her?” I asked silently.

“No. I was wrong to allow her to lure me where she wanted,” he said.

I stood up and faced the jury.

“Miss Aiken?”

Several seconds passed.

“Do you still wish to get divorced?”

I looked at Severus, into his blackest of the blackest eyes.

And then I shook my head.


	10. The Mature Way

The other day I sneaked out of the dormitory and carefully set out on a way to the dungeon. With a clear intention I knocked on the door of Snape's chambers. He opened himself and not waiting for his instruction, I slipped inside the room.

"Britt?" he said and closed the door.

I sat on his desk. 

"Is there something I can do for you?"

I looked at him, my expression daring. 

"Yes," I said slowly, hoping my voice sounded seductive enough.

"I'm listening," Severus said.

Without breaking the eye contact I said "make love to me."

He was studying me.

"Now? Are you..."

"Yes, I am sure. Do it like you did with her. I want it. Not the careful way you did with a vulnerable eighteen-year-old," I said decisively.

Snape closed his eyes for a moment.

"Britt, I don't think that's a good idea. I don't want you to do something you may not like doing," he said, stepping closer. 

"Well screw that," I said, "I can handle it."

"With you it should be special. Not just instinctive," Severus said.

I smiled the most daring way, my eyebrows raised.

"Screw that either. Severus, I'm an adult. And I want it the mature way."

He came to me and stroke my cheek.

"Turn around."

I did, immediately feeling his power over me. 

Snape's hand reached to my back and pushed my upper body down so that my chest was lying flat on the desk. He lifted my school skirt to find me wearing no panties.

"I see you came here with a decision," he said silkily.

"I did."

"Then you'll get it."

Snape's hand massaged my butt and then his fingers slipped between my legs, caressing my mound, spreading the folds down there open. Two of his fingers squeezed my clit and I felt the area dampening quickly. 

"Divesto," he said and in an instant I was completely naked. He released me and I turned to him. He repeated the spell and in an instant Severus was standing in front of me, naked as he has been created. His shaft was already semi-erect. I knew the time has come that I proceed to my first blow job of my life. I was unsure. I knew the theory from a book about men Becca once lent me. But I didn't have any experience with it and I was scared. I didn't want to hurt him somehow and I was afraid of him being too fierce in entering my mouth; which, considering his size, I was positive would cause me difficulties. From Becca's book I knew men loved being stimulated orally so I just  knelt down in front of him.

"Britt, you've never... Gods, I shouldn't let you do this...," Snape said but I leaned to his crotch and planted a kiss on the tip of his big penis. I opened my mouth and licked the hot, dark purple piece of flesh. 

Snape cursed.

I slid my tongue down the underside of his member, all the way to his balls and back. He was now almost fully erect. I squeezed my hand over his shaft while my tongue was working on his glans, licking the sensitive flesh. I took him into my mouth and started to suck. He didn't fit easily, that was obvious and although he started to move his hips, pushing himself inside my mouth, he didn't force himself in my throat. I was really grateful for that, without a previous training I wouldn't be able to deep-throat him. I was sucking on his glans, swirling my tongue around the hot flesh. For several minutes, Severus was enjoying the feel of my mouth on his member. He gave out a sigh and cursed and then reluctantly, he withdrew from my reach. 

"Dammit Britt!" with one fast movement he grabbed me by my shoulders and raised me up. 

He lifted my body and sat me on his desk. Spreading my legs wide he said  "Have you got any idea what you're doing to me?"   


"Wha..."

"No talking. I'm going to be as merciless on you as you were on me. You'll learn what it means to be mine!"

Oh, this sounded scary, but... in a sexy way. 

Snape pushed my knees even more apart and pinned my torso to the desk so that I was lying in front of him spread-eagled.

He knelt in front of me, his head close to my crotch. His lips touched my exposed womanhood. Spreading my folds with his fingers, he granted access to my clit and his warm tongue started licking it slowly. This was beyond anything I've ever experienced. 

"Sev... Severus... n...no," I let out a moan. My clit began to throb. Stopping his oral assaults on my womanhood time to time, his fingers were dancing on my breasts, my waist... Slowly and patiently he touched every inch of me. Then he was back to his merciless cunnilingus attack. Severus got his tongue hard onto my clit, sucked it into his mouth and flicked the tip of his tongue over the super sensitive piece of flesh. 

Was this how dying felt like? I started to shake and moan and Snape's tongue seemed to be able to read my body signals. A few more torturing licks and then he stopped.

Severus grabbed my waist and lifted me up. I was barely standing, I felt weak.

"Bent over the desk. Don't wriggle," he said and I obeyed his command, trying to remain still. Snape was standing behind me, fondling my breasts, pinching my erect nipples. Then he grabbed my hips and with one mighty thrust he entered me from behind. I cried out, couldn't help it. He forced his way through my vagina, filling me completely and mercilessly. I felt his every inch inside me, grinding against my vagina walls. He pulled out completely in a slow motion and thrust back quickly, all the way to my cervix, up to his balls. It was so intense, I kept doing escaping movements with my hips instead of meeting him. It was too much. But Severus' hands were on my love handles and my evasive maneuvers were stopped as he started to pull my hips towards him, in the rhythm of his thrusts. He was demanding, pushing inside me and going faster and faster. With firm, dominating moves he kept pumping and I felt being destroyed by this alpha male and I liked it. The angle of penetration caused by this rear position was something new and I felt how his member was brushing against my G-spot. He was rough; gone was the careful preparation and waiting for my own pleasure waves hitting me before he entered me. Finally I understood the difference between lovemaking and fucking. Now I was being fucked and I was panting, moaning, pleading for mercy although I pretty much knew I didn't want any. Not tonight. 

My clit was still oversensitive from all the attention his tongue provided me a couple of minutes ago. Now Snape reached between my nether lips and found the little bud. He tickled me there, massaging my clit gently, while moving inside me with full force. And then I felt it. A huge wave of upcoming vaginal orgasm started to build inside me. What I always felt coming but what I never truly experienced, was approaching inevitably. My vagina started to contract and Snape moaned as the inner muscles squeezed around his member even more tightly. I cried loud as the incredible orgasmic wave hit me and I squirted and almost pushed Severus out of my contracting vagina. I climaxed hard, my body shaking and he kept pumping inside me quickly.

"Oh, Sev! Jeez...!" I cried out, not even knowing what I was saying.

He came seconds later, filling me with his hot seed. We both were shaking from all the pleasure and Severus stayed inside me for a bit longer than he usually did. Then he released me and my legs almost gave up. I was clutching to his desk. 

"Severus..." I kept whispering, my mind numbed.

Snape turned my body so that I was facing him. He leaned to my lips and without hesitation he did something he's never done before. He kissed me. 

I was taken by surprise. This was intimate. Of course, our sexual intercourse was intimate as well but this was something different. A kiss, a confirmation of his love towards me. Was it even possible that he fell in love with me? With his almost former student he disliked and he was forced to marry? Within months it changed and it changed for both of us. 

Snape's tongue was softly exploring my mouth, meeting my tongue passionately.

I loved it. Finally our relationship was completed. Not with sex into which we were forced before, but by this kiss, a voluntary proof of our mutual affection.

Snape's lips left mine and I opened my eyes, a single tear escaping one of them. 

"I... I love you, Severus."

I had to say it. The words I was certain I'd never say to him and now I felt it was the only right thing to express.

He smiled.

"Take a rest. You'll need it. I want to repeat this," Severus replied.

"Oh dear...," I sighed. The picture of such animal lovemaking turned me on again.

He was studying me and his expression changed to show sudden concern.

"Britt, I mean... I'd _like to_ repeat it but if it was too much for you... If it hurts you... I'll be happy to go back to the... more decent and pleasurable way. I do not wish to cause you too much discomfort."

I smiled faintly.

"I think it's all right. Each experience was wonderful and if this is something you're used to doing with mature women, then I'd like to continue. I want you to teach me. To guide me. Hell, I want you to fuck me senseless again," I said, blushing.

"Language, Miss Aiken," he said with a smile. 

It was so rare to see him smile!

"What's so bad about calling things with proper names?" I teased him.

"Nothing, but you may find yourself being punished for using offensive language."

I bit my lip and tilted my head.

"I'd like that."

"Don't say twice."

I chuckled.

"What if I do?"   


"Then you'll have to face the... consequences. There are many means how to please you in a way that will make you forget you own name."   


Oh, this seductive talk! I was aroused again from his mere speech!   


"I still want that," I whispered. He smirked and kissed my forehead.    


"Not now. Get some rest, Britt. You can stay in my bed if you want. I'll be next door."   


I held his hand.   


"Don't go, Severus. Please. I want you here."   


"I need to finish a potion. I'll come back later," Snape said and got dressed again.   


"I'll be waiting," I said and let him cover my naked body with his cloak. I left for his bedroom and fell asleep soon. Hearing Severus moving and working in the other room and smelling his perfume from his cloak calmed me and I drifted away to a dreamy world where the two of us were making love the whole night.   



	11. Surprises

The end of the school year brought me more than one surprise. The first one, that I passed my N.E.W.T. exam, was a huge relief. Although not having the best marks (Becca did, though), my results weren't bad. 

On the last day before we left the castle I was walking down the corridor on the sixth floor when I met Professor Trelawney. I actually wanted to visit her in the Divination classroom, as I was doing a round, saying farewell to all my teachers.

"Oh, good morning, Professor!" I smiled.

She looked at me from behind her large glasses, tilting her head. Then her lips formed a smile.

"Oh, dear Miss Aiken! Your aura's changed. Yes, yes, I an see it clearly around you! My dear child, you're blessed!" she almost sang.

"Blessed?" I didn't understand.

She lowered her voice.

"You're with a child, sweetheart. And it's a daughter!" she said merrily.

My lips parted in a surprise. What was she saying...? Was that possible?

Instinctively I touched my belly.

"Yes, you're expecting. Congratulations, my dear! And good luck!" she said and speechless, I hugged her goodbye.

That was a surprise beyond imagination. I was expecting my first child, a daughter! Wow..

The truth was, a couple of weeks ago me and Severus decided not to take the contraception potion anymore. But I wasn't expecting it to happen so soon!

I caressed my belly for the first time, saying "hello, little one, I'm your Mummy..."

And then I started to cry with happiness. This was the best possible ending of my last school year. I was afraid of the future, yes, but in a good way - more like excited. I knew I'd miss Hogwarts but my little daughter would keep me distracted now. Besides, my husband has been employed here and this meant I'd be returning as much as I'll be able to.

My husband...

Should I tell him? Who should I tell first? My parents? Severus? My best friends who have been my support all the time during our schooldays, since the first meeting at King's Cross station? I leaned against the wall, laughing, crying. I must have been looking like I went bonkers, but no one was around and to be honest, I didn't care. I was about to become a mother! That was fantastic and the initial shock was now completely replaced with utmost happiness. I took a deep breath and started out to the dungeon. Severus deserved to know as first.

 

EPILOGUE

At the end of summer holiday I visited Diagon Alley with Severus. We parted; he went to the apothecary and I continued to a bookshop where I found Becca.

"Britt! So good to see you! How are you doing? Or, how are you  _two_ doing?" she nodded towards my belly.

"Yeah, a bit sick but it's OK. Sev's been giving me some calming potion so it's more bearable," I said.

"Is he around?"

"Yeah, yes."

"It's really strange, isn't it, being out of school completely... Alistair went to the USA, Katie's training to become an Auror, I'm starting at the Ministry in a week and you're going to have a baby. Like, a whole different life," Becca said.

"It is. Two months since we left Hogwarts and I still feel like I shall be returning in a couple of days. Except for I won't. It's difficult to picture the upcoming year," I agreed and took a book to look at.

"Looks like a perfect thing to read, isn't it?"

The title went  _Raising a Witch - A Complete Guide to Raising a Magical Baby Girl_.

"I heard about this one," Becca said, "should be good. My sister's got  _What to Expect When You're Expecting a Magical Child_ and she says it's the best book ever."

"I'll ask about that one," I said and in a couple of minutes we were leaving the shop, me carrying two new books about magical maternity.

We sat down to have an ice cream at Florean Fortescue's Ice-Cream Parlour. In the summer we were able to sit outside and watch the kids and their parents shopping in all those magical shops. I waved at Severus as I saw him leaving the apothecary and heading to Gringotts Wizarding Bank.

"You two all right?" Becca asked and she scooped her caramel ice cream.

"Yeah. Never thought it'd be like this," I smiled. 

"Oh, I'm so glad to hear this, you can't imagine. Last September you looked so unhappy and... look at you now!"

I beamed. "Did you know Severus rented a cottage in Hogsmeade? So that he can be around when our daughter is born. He really changed."

"That's lovely. Really, who would've said he's going to change like that? I'm only sorry I hadn't had the chance to know this better side of his during my schooldays...," said Becca.

"Yeah, me too," I replied.

"You already selected a name for your daughter?" my friend asked.

"Yes, we agreed on Valorie," I said.

"Valorie. That's nice."

"Yeah, 'e 'oth like it," I said with my mouth full of delicious apple-flavoured ice cream.

"I can't imagine Severus being a father, to be honest. You know, those seven years we were seeing him as an unbearable git and now he's chaged, he loves you and you're starting a family. It's just incredible. I know he's okay but it'll probably take me some time before I get used to it completely. I just hope you're not angry with me because I'm saying this honestly," said Becca with an apologetic expression.

I smiled.

"I know what you mean. No worries, I'm not angry with you at all."

Our peaceful conversation was suddenly disrupted by a noisy group of people coming to sit at the table for ten, right next to us. Some of them were carrying cameras, the rest had notepads and quills. Obviously they were reporters.

"Such insolence and irresponsibility!" one said loudly and tossed the notepad on the table. 

"I can hardly believe it myself," the other one shook her curly head.

I looked at Becca and she shrugged. We continued watching the party buzzing like a hive.

"Are you sure she'll be passing through here today?" a woman with a high-pitched voice asked the others. 

"Positive. My informer is always is always right. She'll probably want to flee the country as soon as possible and he heard she'd come for some necessary shopping and withdrawing money from Gringotts," a bearded camera man said.

"All right. Keep your eyes open," a woman around fifty, obviously the leader of the group, addressed its members, "she can be masking, hiding... Look for anything suspicious. If she's under Polyjuice Potion we may have difficulties recognizing her unless she acts suspiciously."

"Well, it only happened this morning, a couple of hours ago. I bet she doesn't know we've been alerted already," the bearded man said.

I leaned to Becca.

"Who the heck are they talking about?"

Becca shook her head.

"No idea, but I'll ask."

She turned to the leader who happened to be sitting right behind her.

"Excuse me, what's all this fuss about?"

The woman turned to us.

"Haven't you heard?"

"Heard about what?"

"The fiasco at St Mungo's of course!" the reporter said, happy she could introduce someone into the sensational event.

 "What happened?"

"Several werewolves attacked the personnel after they'd been given a new treatment which was supposed to cure them completely."

"Werewolves?" Becca gasped.

"Yes. It indeed looked like successful cure but during the night they changed back to their werewolf form and attacked one doctor and several nurses. Lots of blood, panic everywhere. They needed to be spellbound and put into shackles. Instead of being cured completely they changed into their werewolf self permanently," the reporter said and we looked at each other. Becca spoke the question that came to our mind simultaneously.

"Do you know who caused this? Who gave them the treatment?"

"Where have you been in the last days, young ladies? Haven't you heard about the new generation of Wolfsbane Potion and its creator, Miss Jenkins?"

I frowned. "What about her?" 

"She advertised everywhere, haven't you seen? Her new invention she was boasting about, the Wolfsbane Potion. She claimed she had found a complete cure after being left on her own during her research and that she finally managed to make it. 'Twas quite an advertisement! She invited volunteer werewolves into St Mungo's and gave them the potion. In the morning... well, it was not a nice sight."

We were both speechless. Then Becca squaked.

"Siobhan Jenkins gave them an unfinished potion?!" She covered her mouth in horror.

"No, not unfinished. She was quite sure of her invention."

"Typical," I muttered and didn't know whether to stare in shock or laugh.

"And you are... you are here for what?" Becca, as shocked as me, managed to ask.

"She's supposed to come to Diagon Alley. We'll be the first newspaper to catch her! What a disgrace to magical society! And above all, what a waste of poor human lives! At least five people were bitten and!"the woman said and turned back to her group.

"Come on," I said to Becca, "I don't need to see her."

We left Florean Fortescue's and went slowly towards Gringotts.

"I can hardly believe it. She obviously tried to finish the potion she and Sev had started working on in Hogwarts. And this... it's terrible!"

"Yeah, that's a nasty situation, but to each his own," Becca shrugged.

We reached the entrance to the bank.

"Let's go inside and wait for Severus. It's too warm here, it'll be better," I suggested.

As soon as I put my hand on the door handle someone came out of the building and we almost collided.

I recognized the perfume even before looking into the person's eyes.

"You!" Siobhan Jenkins said, scowling. 

I was just staring at her and then I smiled, knowing what was waiting for her out there.

"Yeah, me," I said.

Her eyes narrowed when she spotted the book title I was carrying. Looking at my belly she uderstood.

Becca stepped forward. 

"Got a problem?"

"No,  _not me_ ," I replied with a fake sweetness in my voice.

My answer was howled down by a distant shriek. We turned to see the group of reporters pointing our direction. Suddenly they were on a move, shouting, running towards us. Siobhan panicked, she knew well this fuss was caused by her appearance.

I made one step towards her and smiled.

"A friendly advice," I told her so that only she could hear, "don't fight it."

And then me and Becca retreated and watched as she attempted to run but was surrounded by the group of reporters who were shouting questions and accusations, their cameras flashing. Siobhan disappeared in the crowd.

"What a satisfaction, isn't it?" Becca nudged me and we both sat down on the front steps leading to Gringotts.

"I wonder why doesn't she just disapparate?" I said, watching the show which now attracted everyone's attention.

Becca winked at me, grinning.

"Let's say I'm quite skilled in wandless magic and nonverbal spells..."

"You hexed her?!" 

Becca nodded.

"Wicked!" I laughed.

Sitting here under the bright sky in a sunshiny day, with a baby daughter in my belly and my best friend right next to me, watching Siobhan getting what she deserved was incredibly satisfactory. And I knew I wouldn't change this for the whole treasure that was lying in the vaults behind me.

 


End file.
